Into the abyss
by NLcrypt
Summary: Dimension Travel- Entering a wholly unfamiliar world of the past, during Grindelwald's propaganda of the Greater Good, Harry ends up dimension traveling. Done a hundred times? Yes, This is the 101th time. Scheming, but not bad Dumbledore!
1. Chapter 1

Author Notes

My first time to put it bluntly, i have read the following words a hundred times in other stories, now its my time to write it I guess:

"All rights go to the brilliance of J.K Rowling- all recognizable characters, setting, yada, yada, yada .The change in plot is entirely for my pleasure, and those like-minded in my thinking."

The story is definitely going to be dimension travel or time travel, depending on how I plan the next chapters. Mainly I just want to explore the Black family characters, see how much I can change the times before Harry. I will try to be realistic, if you find something out of character,be kind enough to inform me.

Right, I hope that cleared a few things up. Onward with the story...!

Chapter 1

The air was filled with shrieks of happy children playfully pushing and tossing each other, while their mothers looked on in amusement. Their eyes did stray occasionally in the direction of a lonely stranger, leaning heavily against the street lamp post.

"Wonder, Janice, should we confront him?" questioned Martha Thompson of number 11, as she surveyed the dark cloaked figure suspiciously, "It could be them, scoundrel youth these days!"

"I really rather you not, with all that has been happening, the best way to go about this, is to call the police. You heard the news this morning didn't you? Those strange firecrackers in the air? And all those weird people in pointy hats?" said Janice Rivers. She too was trying to subtly spy on the stranger, who was currently examining his fingers in a casual manner.

"Pointy hats, and medieval cloaks, I feel nostalgic already." murmured Martha, she signaled her daughter and son to enter the house. "As for the police, a fat lot of good they are. My cousin, Francis, remember her? She called upon them just two months back, they never turned up. Those idiots had somehow managed to crash into each other on the way, it was a blood bath. I think it is better to just head back inside, the safest we can be at these times." Both women bossily managed to herd their children back inside the house, all the while giving the stranger cautious looks.

The stranger for his part, tilted his head, causing the hood to slightly slacken, giving both women a moonlight view of his face. They were both dumbstruck for a moment before scampering inside and slamming the door, none too gently.

"Did you see those devilish eyes? That unkempt hair!

"Oh, did you notice that horrific scar? I tell you Martha, I shall get no sleep tonight!

"You think I will? I think I will give my children company tonight, got to keep them close. Did you secure the dead bolt? I have got a chain in here somewhere. Can't be too careful in these times.

"I have a bad feeling coming on, Janice"

Harry Potter sighed, exasperated at the drama that had just unfolded before his eyes. The Flats unfortunately didn't have soundproof glasses; he had been none too pleased at their description of him. Well at least they had finally cleared the streets. Exhaling slowly Harry jogged up the steps of 12 Grimmauld, before quickly disappearing through the door.

"I did not kill you." He stated immediately at the rising dust figure of Dumbledore. The figure disintegrated slowly. Harry stepped over the swirly dust particles, ensuring he had a ready hand on his wand. There could always be traps, set by Yaxley or some other death eater after its discovery. He walked past the hallway, eyes cringing at the peeling skins of the beheaded house elves. The hallway must have taken quite a blast in their last encounter. Some portraits were askew, while some downright shredded to pieces. The troll leg was nowhere to be seen, though Harry had his suspicions on its fate having noticed dried grayish-green substance on the hallway walls.

Harry was greeted with silence; the house was strangely cold and uninviting. Harry figured a nice warm comforter, or once he learned the warming charm from Hermione and got a blaring stereo he would have no problems with the seemingly sentient townhouse. But for tonight, he would just have to call Kreacher.

Clearing his throat, he shouted "Kreacher!"

Two unexpected outcomes presented themselves. Mrs. Black's portrait curtains flung themselves open, subjecting Harry to a lengthy monologue of what Walburga Black thought of his presence in the most ancient and pureblood house of Black. The second outcome was the non appearance of the house elf. Harry was struck with the thought of whether the elf had died in the battle. He hadn't checked yet. Harry supposed he should be feeling sorry, the elf had been highly useful to them in the last few months. Harry had just begun to tolerate his presence. He might have warmed up to him eventually, given the time.

"Sullying the house of my forefathers with filthy blood_" ranted the portrait.

Gritting his teeth, Harry got to work on the curtains, "Shut up you ugly old hag, why, oh why didn't you get blasted into smithereens along with rest of your family portraits?" he hurriedly pulled the curtains together, before she could tell him exactly what she thought of that comment.

He had come to Grimmauld for one thing, peace, and Harry was determined to have it. He got the fire crackling merrily in the fireplace before levitating a comfortable looking sofa towards it. He wasn't prepared to sleep in the uninviting cold beds the house had to offer him. Harry's last image before falling asleep was of an angry Ginny Weasley storming towards him. He had no doubt about what she would say when she found out about his hiding place.

Indeed, after hiding from Voldemort, Harry was now hiding from the wizarding press, especially the Daily Prophet. They had tried to keep him busy all day, until Harry had decided to forgo all false civility and simply disapparate from the spot, He would do the rest of the interviews later; now all he wanted to do was sleep.

He was unfortunately woken by a thumping sound, Harry blurrily rubbed his eyes before becoming alert and grabbing his wand. Leaving the kitchen, Harry entered the hallway leading to the staircases. The thumping was getting louder, and faster. Making his way up the stairs, Harry went all the way up to the upper floors, just below Sirius's room. The sounds were getting desperate, clearly coming from the farthest room in the floor. In a quick motion Harry blasted the door open, sending along a stinging hex in its direction.

A piercing squeal instantly sounded as the hex met its target.

"Master!" came a pathetic sob from within.

"Kreacher?" asked Harry incredulously, "your still alive? Why didn't you answer my call?"

The elf looked like it had been given clothes; it hobbled towards Harry, trying to slyly shut the room door on its way out.

"Stop Kreacher! I forbid you to do that." ordered Harry, causing the elf to grudgingly leave the door half closed.

"Master was sleeping, Kreacher didn't want to disturb master. Kreacher cares for his master's sleep" answered Kreacher, though he was tightly pulling down his oblong ears down to elbow length. An action, Harry suspected was one of the typical moves practiced by house-elfs when they felt they were lying.

"Yes, my beauty sleep was your utmost concern." said Harry sarcastically, trying to see past the elf."I doubt that very much, it looks to me like your hiding something. Your thumping was loud enough to wake me up. What have you been up to, Kreacher?" questioned Harry peering at the half ajar door.

Harry didn't wait for a reply, Kreacher was blabbering nonsensically, and he had his curiosity aroused. Stepping past the elf, Harry made his way towards the room. Kreacher rapidly followed behind Harry, catching up to his long strides. Just as Harry was about to push the door fully open, Kreacher acted. He captured Harry's left leg in an iron hold, causing Harry to aim a furious glare at the elf.

"Kreacher was trying to close, it wasn't getting closed" the elf started before changing track, "Master must not open the secrets of the Black room!" exclaimed Kreacher pulling Harry's leg in the opposite direction. "Master is not suited for its secrets!"

Harry didn't know whether to laugh or scream at the desperate look on the miserable elf's face. "I own the house now Kreacher. I have every right."

Merlin, Harry sounded arrogant even to himself. He vigorously tried to shake the elf off, but Kreacher had his leg in a relentless grip. "Master does not know how to handle it. Master will get the house of Kreacher's ancestral masters destroyed. What will Mistress say?" raved the house-elf tugging just as vigorously.

"Kreacher, let go now, I order you!" hissed Harry," that's an order Kreacher, do it now!"

Perhaps it was perfect timing or downright misplaced timing that had Harry pushing the door forcefully open, just as Kreacher decided to follow his order. With nothing to hold him back, and the door ajar, Harry staggered in, meeting face to face with a large, dark hole right where the floor was supposed to be.

Harry had only time to say an enraged "Kreacher" before he was falling headlong in to the abyss.

Harry could hear Kreacher's shrieks as the darkness closed over him.

"Master! What should Kreacher tell the blood-traitor Weasley? Master!"

Harry sighed in exasperation as darkness completely engulfed him. Ginny Weasley was not going to be pleased. Another injury was the last thing she wanted from him.

He would have continued in that line of thought, if a deep, deafening bang hadn't thundered from the abyss. He couldn't see anything, but he could certainly feel the dark tentacles of sinister magic surrounding him. It began to expand, and just as Harry felt the pressure was becoming unbearable, it burst. For a moment, Harry glimpsed blinding light, heard Kreacher's shrieks again mixed with shrieks that sounded suspiciously feminine before an invisible force dragged him into the darkness. "Master!"

Was that foolish elf going to help him now? The elf wouldn't survive. He wouldn't survive! Where was the justice?

"Go away Kreacher!."

The Aurors gathered around the ruins of what had once been the most ancient and pureblood house of Black. The surrounding flats had been totally ripped out from their foundations. The only thing in one piece, much to the chagrin of all the surrounding public was the shrieking portrait of Walburga Black, dangling askew on a stump of a wall, fenced by debris.

Author Notes: let me know if you like the story, or want anymore details :)


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Harry!

The sound was loud, whiny and unwanted. Harry blinked as he saw Ginny Weasley standing over him. Her flaming red hair combined with a flushed face gave her the image of a juicy tomato.

"How did you enter in?" he asked without thinking.

"Harry, do you know how disappointed I am with you? Why would you go to Grimmauld of all places? Why didn't you apparate to the Burrow." demanded Ginny, her face red with anger.

Harry felt drowsy, "I needed some peace and quiet, Ginny. I feel sleepy still, could you come back later? And it's so cold; do you know the spell for the heating charm by any chance?"

"Did you hear what I said, Harry?" asked Ginny leaning closer to him.

" Hey, you have some cute freckles, I never noticed them before." smiled Harry, trying to reach for her nose.

Ginny produced a horrible whiny noise, before launching onto his legs; her sharp nails digging into his…..blue jeans?

"Ouch! Ginny!"

Harry woke up to a stinging sensation that was creeping through his limbs. His back ached as he noticed he was lying on a rough edged floor. And the cause for the pain was sitting on his legs.

It resembled a bit of Arnold, Ginny's pygmy puff in shape but that's where the similarities ended. It was in no way cute, with just one eye of an ugly yellow hue and small, fang like teeth set unevenly in the bottom. It had sharp little pincers, currently holding onto Harry's robes in a possessive manner.

As almost a minute passed, with Harry having a staring contest with the one-eyed blob, the pincers began to move, instantly bringing back the previous stinging sensation. With a jerk Harry got up, rapidly shaking the folds of his robes and desperately hoping the cursed thing wasn't poisonous. The one-eyed blob bounced off, as Harry's robe hit the wall, causing it to lose its grip.

Reflexively Harry reached for his wand, before realization stuck him. His wand! It was missing, and the blob seemed to be quite intelligently scrutinizing him. It made a whiny sound, before slowly moving towards him. Harry surveyed his surroundings, the room was horribly dusty, there was an ancient looking dresser made of hard oak wood that had rough jagged edges, there were no windows which explained the stale smell in the room and in a corner there seemed to be a nest of some kind.

He had to get out of this room. The blob made another whiny sound before launching itself at Harry. Harry ducked instinctively, whipping around just in time to fend off another rigorous attack, as the blob bounced off from wall after wall aiming for his head.

Harry started pulling out the dresser drawers, searching for an effective weapon while simultaneously avoiding the bouncing blob. He got hold of a handy looking hairbrush from inside one of them, brandishing it like he would his wand.

It could have been the euphoria of unrestricted bouncing about, that had the blob completely dismissing the hairbrush. A wet sounding smack rang through the room, before it miserably fell beside the nest in the corner.

Right, now where was his wand? And his left boot was missing as well. Sourly Harry reflected on the night's happenings. This room didn't look familiar, the dust looked like it had settled there for ages, and the nest could contain doxy eggs for all he knew. Had they missed out this room during the cleaning?

"Kreacher!" bellowed Harry; it had better not be dead.

Of course this room had to be the one Kreacher was raving about, "the black room" as Kreacher put it. None of the residents had noticed it before, Sirius hadn't even mentioned it. Harry looked at the rough floor, there was no dark hole that had greeted him before. And that forceful pull, where was all that? How was he still alive? Where was that elf? Weren't they supposed to readily obey every shout?

Harry decided to investigate that later, he headed towards the cobwebbed door. Spiders ran helter-skelter as his hand invaded their webby home to grab the handle. The door didn't budge open though, causing a very frustrated Harry to aim a disgruntled kick at it.

"Kreacher!" Harry shouted again, "you had better answer!"

There was crack, and the snout nosed elf appeared, looking at him with wide bloodshot eyes.

"A nasty looking brat has called for Kreacher, and Kreacher forced to answer! What is this brat doing in the house of Kreacher's Masters." muttered the elf, giving Harry an ugly look. The bloodshot eyes travelled up and down Harry's frame before stopping at the sight of the clutched hairbrush.

"Kreacher, listen" began Harry, but was cut off immediately by the elf's enraged bull frog voice, "Stealing? A burglar in the most ancient house of the Blacks? Mistress must be informed."

"Stop Kreacher, what are you talking about? Don't you know me?" asked Harry quite surprised, and a little tensed at the way the house elf was eyeing him. House elf magic was one thing he did not want to confront without a wand.

Kreacher stopped, its drooping features showing surprise," What has brat done to Kreacher? Dark magic, nasty brat, Kreacher's Masters are far more educated. Cannot hold Kreacher here for long, Master will soon call for Kreacher, and brat will be discovered."

"What master are you talking about?" asked Harry in confusion.

"Noble Lord Black! And Mistress Black!" croaked Kreacher," Brat must be a mudblood, not having heard of my Masters!"

"I forbid you to use that word, Kreacher." said Harry angrily, even though the new information was taking center stage in his mind.

"This room, have you ever been in it?"

Kreacher shook his head," Master told Kreacher to avoid this room. And Kreacher didn't, wouldn't even have if nasty brat hadn't forced Kreacher here!"

"What year is this Kreacher?" questioned Harry, already knowing a part of the answer.

The elf looked like he was mad, before slowing giving him a blood curdling smile.

"Master calls" croaked the elf

"I forbid you to tell anyone about me." Harry managed to get out before the elf fully disapparated.

The pygmy puff like blob was starting to show signs of consciousness. Harry was keeping a wary on it, while checking his dented watch which showed the stars moving slowly from one point to the other. The time had been spent contemplating time travel theories; all made up by Harry's own imagination. He had yet to read any books regarding time travel. His lone third year experience and muggle movies regarding time travel being the only source of inspiration.

Kreacher came too slowly for Harry's comfort, the elf looking none too pleased at being summoned again.

"You have to get me to Diagon Alley, Kreacher" instructed Harry, he certainly did not want to get caught by the Blacks in their home, definitely not without a wand.

"Wards around the house, powerful wards." The elf was croaking

Harry clearly saw it as buying for time, "But as an elf, you can apparate and disapparate inside the house can't you? Look its good for both of us, I get to leave and you don't have me in your precious master's house."

"Doesn't understand, Kreacher's loyal to Master, but why would he?" muttered the elf, before its eyes started bulging, "Master knows, Master KNOWS!" the elf was shrieking now, hopping around in one leg. Harry felt the vibrating footsteps up the stairs.

He quickly grabbed hold of Kreacher by its long ear and hissed," Get me out of here, now! It's an order!"

With a sharp crack, both Kreacher and Harry disapparated from 12 Grimmauld, just as the footsteps reached near the room's door. Harry got a last view of the blob wriggling about near the nest before the nauseating sensation of being sucked in attacked him.

They apparated just near the edges of Knockturn Alley, Harry colliding with a group of huddled old witches with moldy looking hats that had dead ravens perched atop them.

"Umm, sorry about that." Harry muttered edging away from them. He looked around for Kreacher, finding the elf nowhere in sight. He must have apparated back to Grimmauld immediately, thought Harry.

"No harm done, dear." said one of the hags, giving him a leering look," fancy joining us?"

"No, thank you, I should be leaving." replied Harry moving further away from them.

The hags cackled raucously, "Boy seemed mighty interested, wouldn't you say, Grimma."

"Well he did brush upon us, just now, didn't he?"

"Darling, headed for a drink, join us"

"Yes, you could be the side dish"

And they continued roaring with ill humor.

Harry ignored the crass hags, trying to find out where exactly he was. There were many differently laid out paths. He spared a glance at the cackling group; they certainly were not going to help him with his well being in their minds.

He was definitely in Knockturn Alley, by the look of things. If he could locate 13B Knockturn Alley, from there he could reach the Leaky Cauldron, which would safely ensure him familiar ground.

Harry determinedly looked in the direction of the hags. He didn't exactly have to tell them he was searching for an exit route. As if sensing his scrutiny, they ceased their laughing, waiting curiously for him to make a move.

Taking a subtle deep breath, he walked towards them, "Any of you know where 13B is located?" he asked, trying not to show much emotion.

They gave him broken toothed grins.

"Ladies, someone wants to be a big boy."


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

It was the day of self-discovery. Harry realized, without a wand, he was highly vulnerable and hopeless in defending himself. All it took was a single bone-shattering curse, followed by an Incarcerous jinx to destroy any chance of escape.

Harry pondered over escape routes in his mind, while the hags clustered together, talking in rushed whispers, squabbling and deriding each other's suggestions on what to do with their prisoner.

In the end, they seemed to have reached a concession, just in time to notice their prisoner trying to wriggle himself to the next lane.

"Well, what have we have here, a wannabe survivor?" asked one hag in a falsetto baby-voice, as she mirthfully looked at Harry.

"Not for long." spoke Grimma, giving their prisoner a sneer that considerably enhanced her ugly looks,"Once we reach the caves."

With banshee like cackles, they got hold of him before disapparating from Knockturn Alley.

Harry had then desperately tried to call for Kreacher, but the only result that came out of it, was the hags taking offense at the perceived insult.

They had headed towards the mountain peaks, halting at the mouth of a dried up valley characterized by sharp, jagged stones making up its sides. The mountains were lined with small sized and dim looking caves. Faint white wisps of smoke were coming out of one of them.

"Agrippa! Is that you?" hissed one of the hags.

For lack of anything better to do, other than floating behind the entire lot, Harry had taken to counting out the number of warts each hag had, and noting the distinguishable features of each one.

The hag, who had currently spoken, was one with long tufts of grey hair poking out of her moldy looking hat. She was the only one with a good amount of hair, the rest of her companions were almost bald with thinning hair distributed in various parts of their scalps.

A frail looking, hunch backed witch with bony hands emerged from within the smoky cave. She beckoned the hags inside before shifting her head to meet Harry, looking at him with beady eyes.

"So finally you got hold of a human, Maliffa." said the witch, as she took out her own wand, which was slightly crooked and blackened with stains.

"Not now, Agrippa, I want my poisons before I hand him over to you." said Grimma, pulling out her own wand.

"I haven't finished with them yet." snarled Agrippa, "The crucial ingredient needed for your last potion requirement," here she looked at Harry, "has just arrived. You will have to wait."

Harry felt alarm bells ringing violently, as he had a good idea what type of witch, Agrippa was. But he really had no clue how he could wrangle himself out of his current predicament. And really what was he supposed to say, "You don't want me, I am all skin and bones" wasn't going to work with the hags.

"It will take some time, perhaps a few hours. You can wait inside if you wish", continued the witch before heading inside.

There was a lot of muttering going around the group as they entered the cave.

"I hope she hasn't changed the price", said Maliffa, "she did last time".

"Let her try, I am not giving her more than 7 galleons and 2 sickles." muttered Grimma under her breath.

"And 21 knuts." said Agrippa, as she placed the cauldron on the fire. The cave stank of potion fumes and rotten flesh. There were dead rats and frogs and bottles of strange specimens floating in green water. A nest of frozen ashwinder eggs was in a corner with a blue circle surrounding it. Long vines were growing on the roof of the cave, with its leaves touching the muddy floor.

"What is this?" asked a hag who had just one single white teeth, pointing at a plant with a huge red flower.

"Don't touch it, its poisonous." replied Agrippa, her eyes not straying from the bubbling potion in the cauldron.

"Oh." said the hag, moving her hand away, before pointing at another flowery plant, "Well what about this one."

"Don't touch that one either." said Agrippa still not looking back.

The hag then moved outside the cave, as her companions watched amused, "How about," she plucked an innocent looking leaf from a nearby creeper, "this one?" she asked, childishly grinning.

"Don't, they are all highly dangerous." said Agrippa again, in a monotonous voice", as she squeezed bat spleen into the cauldron.

"Yes," said the hag drily, holding up the small leaf for all to see, "This one is the epitome of danger." She shook the leaf to give greater emphasis, causing some of the hags to cackle out loud.

"Will you all shut it, quit your foolery this instant, Grendel!" hissed Agrippa whirling around from her stirring of the cauldron's contents, to face her unruly customers, "Do you know how difficult it is to concentrate with you lot screeching, here I was trying to be hospitable and…..Merlin!"

Agrippa shrieked as the potion rose up to the cauldron's height spitting out maroon-green liquid on her face. The hags immediately became serious as the witch yelped loudly, trying to get away from the boiling potion.

The witch hastened backwards hitting the chained Harry, causing both of them to fall just near the ashwinder's nest. The liquid was now seeping through the muddy floors, spurring Grimma to act, "Evanesco!"

The spell hit the liquid, but instead of vanishing it simply bubbled up again.

"Do you actually think it's going to disappear so simply, with such a weak vanishing charm?" screeched Agrippa angrily, as she struggled to get up, having gotten herself tangled in Harry's chains. Harry himself was finding it difficult to breath, with having the wind knocked out of him when he hit the floor.

"What do you suggest then" screamed Grimma, looking furious at the insult.

Before any well thought out answer could form in Agrippa's mind, Grendel had taken out her wand. With the air of someone who knew what to do, she aimed her wand at the cauldron, levitating it and directing it outside the caves.

"What do you think you're doing?" hissed Grimma, as she watched Grendel make the cauldron head far away from them, just towards the other end of the valley. Soon the cauldron was a tiny dot in their view, and triumphantly the hag flicked her wand, causing the cauldron to be emptied into the river valley.

The hags watched the grinning Grendel jumping up and down in delight," Well wasn't I quick thinking?"

"Have you a mind? Or did your mother use it for some potion ingredient?" demanded Agrippa thunderously, "Do you know where you emptied its contents? Do you?"

"Into the river, but why does that matter?" Grendel looked at her fellow hags imploringly." Filthy little mudbloods and their like live there, if they die, good riddance!"

Agrippa's eyes bulged in their sockets, "Mudbloods, that's what you think isn't it, and what drove you to that conclusion? We are in the mountains! The mountains, you fool! Don't you know wh-"

The witch's ranting was interrupted by a furious growl, before the middle of the cave came crashing down upon its unfortunate occupants. Debris fell everywhere, the stones and mud hitting everyone inside the cave, except for Harry who was thankfully well-shielded by Agrippa.

Grendel who was outside let out a fearful scream before immediately disapparating.

The hags had all been thrown to the floors at the heavy impact of the club.

"Giants!" screamed Maliffa as she got a glimpse of the huge hand holding the club, before it was retrieved.

Harry watched as Agrippa crawled towards her fallen wand, before another crashing blow hit the side of the cave, exactly where Maliffa and the rest of the hags had been thrown.

There was blood, seeping into the mud just like the potion before, Harry reflexively turned away from the sight, before realization struck him. He could move! The chains around him had vanished, which could only mean the hag that had casted the spell on him was dead. Harry certainly wasn't going to feel sorry for that.

A guttural sound erupted from outside, before another blow struck. Harry had the presence of mind to move from his current location as the giants were systematically knocking down the caves, bringing down the mud from above unto the heads of the occupants. He pressed himself flat against the cave's walls, careful not to step on the ashwinder eggs, as well as ignoring the excruciating pain that shot up his left leg, just where the bone-shattering curse had struck.

Agrippa, still suffering from the potion boils that had erupted, was in one frame of mind, to get her wand. She did not notice the trembling roof over her head, the mud and stones crashed and fell on top of her, effectively burying her inside. The cave was completely demolished and Harry got a clear view of their assailants, huge 16-25 feet giants with fat looking wooden clubs. Agrippa's crooked looking wand lay there temptingly on the floor, unfortunately in the giants' line of vision.

They were peering hungrily, looking for survivors they could bash up. The leader or Gurg was a 22 feet giant with the biggest club. Behind him, stood the rest of his tribe.

They were 12 in number; Harry couldn't differentiate between the male and the female. They all collectively looked huge, gruff and thick-skinned. There was one giant though, its small looking eyes seemed familiar to Harry, but he didn't have the time to pay much attention to it. He had to get the wand, all he had to do was touch it and he could disapparate out of here.

The Gurg growled, "Goliath! Take yer club, an' blugger 'em dead.

A giant with hairy and bestial features came up the front, raising his club high up into the air. Deciding this was his only chance if he were to disapparate, Harry hurled himself onto the floor, just where the crooked wand lay. He grabbed hold of the wand, and rolled out of the club's way just in time.

"Fridwulfa! Swatter that itsy-bitsy wizard 'ere!" growled out the Gurg.

The giant or giantess with the familiar eyes raised her club as well, swinging it towards Harry. But Harry had comfortably disapparated, with the knowledge that he had just met Hagrid's mother. And she had had no qualms about killing him. She certainly was nothing like her son!

Harry apparated into Diagon Alley, just at the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron. It didn't look any different, same as in his time, shabby and dark. A few warlocks were sitting and having shots of Firewhiskey in a corner completely devoid of light and Tom, the innkeeper was idly polishing a table with a dirty looking rag. His leg already put through abundant strain, Harry hobbled over to the counter, asking for Butterbeer.

Tom smiled, "I reckoned, you were old enough for some Firewhiskey."

"To each their own, Tom" said a warm voice behind Harry.

Harry turned sharply, meeting the deep blue eyes of his former Headmaster.

"It is quite refreshing once in a while, when one treads a different path."

"Yes, well Headmaster, I must say you haven't visited for a long time." said Tom jovially, before turning to Harry, "One butterbeer coming up!"

"Headmaster-"began Harry, before stopping. He was wondering what he should say, and what he had to omit.

"Perhaps you should think over it." suggested Dumbledore, "And have that leg of yours looked at, as well".


	4. Chapter 4

Author Notes: Hey guys, thank you for the reviews, I really appreciate them. I hope you like this chapter. In case you guys haven't already guessed, this fiction is kind of a slow one. I really can't progress it faster, and don't want to either, so I hope you don't mind . Thank you and enjoy!

Chapter 4

Harry handed over seven Knuts to Tom, once his Butterbeer arrived. These times were really cheap, a fact Harry was very thankful for. He didn't know how much he had, but he had fingered few round coins inside his cloak pocket and estimated it to be at least a few Galleons. It wouldn't last him long. Harry hoped he had enough to pay the St. Mungo's bills, once he got his leg healed.

He was nonchalantly sipping his drink, trying to ignore Dumbledore's looming presence, when the pub's doors banged open. Two black figures, one of them casually twirling an attractive looking silver wand stood at the entrance.

The pub's occupants turned their heads, a few warlocks cautiously having got their wands out; only to return back to their business when they saw the newcomers.

Harry narrowed his eyes as he recognized the familiar Black features; the two cloaked figures, both had frosty dark eyes and black hair, tall and thin with arrogance radiating within a mile of them. One of them had very long hair, pulled to the front, while the other had short flicks of hair peeking out of the hood. Just what he needed when he was looking for some peace and quiet. He went back to his drink, not bothering to hide his disinterest.

One was looking disdainfully around the pub, while the other seemed to be busy dusting non-existent specks of dust from the richly made travelling cloak. Dumbledore had a smile on his face, as he watched the long haired one eyeing and judging everything in the shabby looking pub, before noticing him.

"Dumbledore, I wasn't expecting you here." said the woman in a dry tone, "May I offer my congratulations, in getting your new position. I am sure you have earned it."

Her expression and tone belied her words, showing she was none too pleased at Dumbledore's rank elevation. True to his nature, Dumbledore cared not to notice. "Thank you Dorea, I like to think I have earned it as well." he said jovially, "And how are you, Charis?

"Fine." said Dorea's companion curtly before turning her gaze away, towards the indirect entrance door for Knockturn Alley.

"Can I get you anything, Ms Black, Ms Black?" asked Tom, whose eyes had gone wide when the pair had entered.

Dorea Black waved her hand in an apathetic manner, before her eyes fixed on top of Harry's unruly hair.

"Haven't I seen that mess of a hair before." said Dorea softly, narrowing her eyes.

Harry swirled the remnants of his Butterbeer leisurely, while subtly closing his hands on the crooked wand in his cloak. He took his time to face her, "Yes?"

Dorea blinked, and even her companion seemed to notice he wasn't the Potter they were expecting.

"Hello, do you know me?" greeted Harry, giving them a forced smile, the effect was not lost on the two sisters.

"Other than your eyes, you do look mighty like a Potter, Mr….?" said Dorea, ignoring Tom's light comment on "family traits" and "everyone looks alike these days".

"Harry, you can call me Harry." he replied, as Harry hadn't yet decided on what course of action he had to take; he certainly wasn't going to make up a surname out of thin air.

Charis Black tilted her head, thoughtfully, "Just Harry? Do you have no surname?" she asked with a sneer. Harry had a good idea at the conclusions her mind was jumping to at the recent information.

"Ladies I need to go, you two have fun at Knockturn Alley." said Harry shortly, putting an abrupt, rude ending to their talk, as he finished off the last contents of his glass before getting up.

He left behind an amused Dumbledore with two affronted witches, heading for Diagon Alley. He had decided on a proper course of action. First, repair his leg as best as he possibly could, then visit Ollivanders, and get a proper wand as Harry discovered the crooked wand was fighting him on every uttered spell. And then, find a secluded area, where he could yell for Kreacher until the elf finally came, without getting unwanted attention.

Diagon Alley was lonely, few stray wizards hung about in its cobbled streets. Harry spotted many known shops, Broomstix which was exhibiting their latest model, Comet 140 with moonlight and stars flashing at the backdrop; Floo-pow, where knocks were never answered and customers had to slip their orders through the door and pray to Merlin it was answered or blast the doors to get attention; Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, though it seemed to have more wackier flavors than in Harry's time, one suggestive flavor caught Harry's attention, "Nogtruckle: A combination of Nogtail cream and frozen Bowtruckles, Limited Offer!"; Eeylops Owl Emporium, in which Harry took a long moment studying the different preening owls, wondering whether he would find his snowy owl, but Hedwig wasn't there, she had yet to be born or caught; and there was Flourish and Blotts, which didn't seem to be flourishing very well, if the deserted shop was anything to go by.

Then there were a few he hadn't noticed before, or they may have just disappeared in his time, Beard Trimming, where there was just one wizard with a rather large beard that tickled his feet; Maximus Welsh Travel Wonders; Potages Cauldron Shop; Charm Amulets; Surgical Dental operation; Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment; and Rosa Lee Teabag, where a plump looking wizard was roughhousing rogue wriggling grey packages.

Ollivanders shop was located near a stall with an overhead sign "Obscurus Scripts from Egypt".

The familiar bell rang as Harry entered the small Wand Shop; he was feeling quite nostalgic as he stared at the dusty racks filled with numerous wand cases. There was a single hand carved wooden desk with an ancient worn Windsor chair behind it. As usual, Ollivander was nowhere to be seen. Harry waited for the wandmaker to materialize out of nowhere and was not disappointed.

Ollivander looked a lot younger, his hair pale yellow, but with the same enthusiastic silver eyes that shone brightly in the shop's gloomy atmosphere.

"A wand surely." murmured Ollivander smiling. The magical measuring tape quickly came into view and started taking Harry's measurements.

"Perhaps, a distant relative to the Potters?" asked Ollivander curiously, "there have been none of your eyes that I have known."

"Aren't we all related in this world, through one bloodline or the other?" replied Harry warily.

"Yes, this world of ours is quite small, Mr. Potter, I hope I may address you as such? Now the measurements…...measurements." he trailed off murmuring, eyes keenly noticing the tape measurements.

There was a creaking sound from above them; a diagonal rack where huge loads of wand cases had been stacked haphazardly over each other was moving to show an open hatch. A wrinkled old man peered through the opening, before conjuring a staircase that connected to the shop's floor.

"Father, what is it?" questioned a distracted Ollivander.

His father paid him no heed, as he started walking down the stairs. Harry looked at the wizened old man, supposedly Ollivander's father. He realized not only was he going to see the past selves of the adults in his time, but also long dead wizards and witches in this timeline.

"Garrick, I hope you're still not selling those standard wastes that you call wands." said the old man in a hoarse voice, as he rested his bony hand on the staircase's handrail.

Family politics much, thought Harry, as the atmosphere of the shop became reasonably frosty. "Mr. Potter, my name is Gervaise Ollivander." he said, lifting his hand.

"Pleasure." said Harry, as he politely shook the outstretched hand, the old man still had some strength in those bony fingers, his grip was rigid and hard.

"Do not mind him." advised Ollivander in a testy tone to Harry, "Yes! The measurements are complete, now onto the-"

"One wand, after the other wand, after the other." interrupted his father, "Stretching the patience and time of our everyone but yourself.", continued Gervaise Ollivander.

"Here, try this." said Ollivander hastily, taking out a random box from a nearby rack and pushing the enclosed wand into Harry's hands, "Maple, 13 ½ inches, dragon heartstring, perfectly acerbic" he said, gesturing Harry to give the wand a wave. Harry waved his wand, and just as he had predicted the wand was snatched out of his palm. "No, no try this one, 12 ½ inches, willow and unicorn hair as its core, lithe, quite whippy."

"And there starts the trials of zillion wands, at this rate you would sell but a lone wand every day. The days of my times, we had a lot more customers." croaked the elder Ollivander, "The days of personalized wands…. the days of hard labor."

"No, not this one either, how about….yes perhaps this one, 11 ½ inches, phoenix feather as core, sycamore wand wood… fiery."

"Do you travel, young man?" questioned Gervaise Ollivander.

Harry who had been about to wave the given wand halted, causing Garrick Ollivander to let out a peeved cough, "Well, yes, sometimes when the situation calls for it."

"But are you an avid traveler? Do you-"

"Father, if you please-"

"I certainly do", said Gervaise, facing Harry,"I could still make you a customized wand, sure the price range will vary depending-"

"Haven't you yet realized, your retirement two decades ago?" questioned Ollivander sounding annoyed.

"I have been unable to fully realize it, as I seemed to have failed in educating you fully on the business." replied his father before turning to Harry, " How about it, Mr. Potter, are you open to a specially made wand, well suited to your magical personality?

Harry was at crossroads, on one hand Garrick Ollivander had given him a wand that had dueled and worked very well for him in the past, or would in the coming future, if he took into account his present situation, on the other hand, a customized wand was a tempting offer as well. Harry decided to tread the path of neutrality, he liked Ollivander, but the elder one looked like he knew the wand making business all too well.

"I would be happy with any wand that gives me the right feeling." he pronounced smoothly, as the father and son faced off each other.

"Father, you must realize my work is progress," said Garrick Ollivander, before turning to Harry, "Years have I watched him wrestling with Kappa's and Kelpie's hair, Clauricorn's strands, and all substandard core materials that bore feeble results for the wielders."

"And two decades have I watched you sticking and snatching wands from their palms, behaving like a possessed maniac, who couldn't see the dwindling numbers…the suffered losses." retaliated the father evenly.

"I am sure Mr. Ollivander can find me the right wand." said Harry firmly, after noticing a shadow pass through Garrick Ollivander's eyes.

"You will be the first of many educated wizards to voluntarily buy a standard wand. Only first year Hogwarts students come anymore… to buy their first wands!" said Gervaise Ollivander spitting out the last few words.

Harry was confused at the amount of animosity the elder Ollivander had for his son. Ollivander's standard wands were going to be a success, if not now, at least in the future and Harry had never thought of Ollivander facing opposition for his new ways and methods of wand lore from his family.

"You still want to feel involved, don't you?" said Harry delicately, a smile started playing on his lips, as he realized the elder one's bitterness, "Were you forced into retirement, or something, because it looks to me like you could stand a couple more years practicing wand lore."

Both Ollivanders looked at him surprised, before the younger one shook his head.

"It can't be, you said you were tired of the family business." frowned Garrick, "That is why I took over!."

"There is some truth to that, but the fact remains, is that I still have my own few ideas left which I haven't tested out," replied Gervaise, "Well it's disappointing."

"It was the longest, most awkward 15 minutes of politeness from Harry's side before Garrick Ollivander spoke.

"Let's blend them in." he suggested, his voice instantly regaining his previous enthusiasm, "Let's make it somewhat a mix of personalized and standard mix of materials. It could be a gradual progress, if you're willing that is."

"Willing?" said Gervaise Ollivander, eyebrows furrowing, "I wouldn't mind working alongside you again. It will be just like our past memories."

Then both turned to regard Harry with smiles on their faces, "And since, you have helped-"

"In your own small way-"

"We shall make you a standard-personalized wand, free of charge."

"It will take some time, naturally-"

"But will work splendidly" finished Gervaise Ollivander laughing, before frowning, "We will have to come up with a better name than "standard-personalized", Garrick."

"How about no name at all? We are wand makers, not name creators." replied his son, shrugging.

After seeing the spectacle, Harry was never associating Ollivander with the mysterious, creepy man he had met when he was 11 years old.

"Could you tell me what's wrong with this wand?" asked Harry retrieving Agrippa's crooked wand which was letting off slight puffs of smoke.

Garrick Ollivander took it, before scratching his forehead, "An unusual one, 15 ½ inches, Acacia, not yours I presume? I can understand why you would want a replacement, but smoking? Curious,….so very curious, koralle core, I don't think even you have sold this combination, father."

"No, not one of ours," said Gervaise Ollivander, he looked at his son frowning, "Garrick, I wonder if its one of Gregorovitch's wand?"

"It could be his, koralle core usage. Its smoking a lot Mr. Potter, I guess you made use of it, then found it lacking."

"I used it to disapparate, it didn't work well at the first try, but-"

"It did at the second?" questioned Gervaise, interestedly.

"Thankfully." said Harry

"Mr. Potter, Acacia is a wand wood, stubborn I say to any other user, its loyalty rests only to its owner. Somehow you have forced the wand to do your bidding, thus its current condition. One more forced spell and I daresay it will go up in flames." said Garrick Ollivander, inspecting the smoky wand.

"Perfect." muttered Harry

"No, not perfect, flawed." contradicted Garrick Ollivander, "It shouldn't go up in flames or give up smoke like this. A wand is supposed to hold strong."

"You're not taking into account the wielder, Garrick." pointed out Gervaise Ollivander, giving Harry a familiar creepy smile, "We will have your wand ready at the soonest possible time, tomorrow at the most. I feel like I know you already, it shouldn't be a problem making one for you" he assured

"I suppose I didn't, as I pay much more attention to the wand, if a wielder's magic forces an unwilling wand to act, it might simply respond by combusting.", Garrick Ollivander was still muttering to himself, when he fell silent.

"It's quite unsafe nowadays to roam without a proper wand in your person." Gervaise was saying when his son interrupted him.

"Albus Dumbledore! How delightful to see you!"

"I have a good idea why you came to Ollivanders shop" said Harry through clenched teeth as they walked the lines, passing the various stalls and shops of Diagon Alley.

"Really, I thought my friendship with Garrick was still private. Well news and gossip do travel fast."

"Where are we going?" asked Harry as they neared the entrance and exit of Diagon Alley.

"I should think it's purely obvious. You are still to be completely healed; though I am sure you tried your best. I hope you don't mind receiving treatment from Hogwart's medical facilities. It is just as good as St. Mungos, what with the adventurous and reckless students we have these days." said Dumbledore chuckling merrily.

They had reached the Leaky Cauldron, the occupants were all the same. Tom waved cheerfully at Harry and Dumbledore, as he cleaned the serving counter.

Harry caught sight of the Black sisters, who looked like they had been watching him and Dumbledore for some time. Charis Black was staring, while Dorea was looking suspiciously at Dumbledore.

"They are staring at us." said Harry not bothering to tell Dumbledore the names. He knew the aging Headmaster could figure it out himself.

"Well, they are quite young women. They tend to do that at their age." said Dumbledore nonchalantly.

Harry blinked, "Headmaster!" he snapped, incredulous.

"And the fact that they never thought I had a nephew; may have come as a bit of a surprise. As it will for everyone else." admitted Dumbledore, "Don't mind them, Harry, they just didn't expect you to be this young."

"What? Why would you do that?" spluttered Harry, "You told them I am your nephew?" hissed Harry furiously, giving the Black sisters a fleeting look. They were still staring, their faces openly showing their bewilderment.

"Harry Dumbledore" said the Headmaster smiling before noticing the scowling look on Harry's face, "I will quite understand if you wish to take on your mother's maiden name."


	5. Chapter 5

Author Notes: I wonder if any of you are Dumbledore haters? Because I am not, just saying. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 5

"Tromping your way around with a shattered bone-." said the portrait of a silver haired woman Harry had only seen before in the Headmaster's office. It was now a lone portrait, placed high up on the Hospital Wing's wall.

"Ahh Dilys! I see you have changed locations." said Dumbledore merrily, leaning against a side wall, while Harry lay on a nice, soft Hospital bed.

"And it has worsened, after being tampered with" said Lancelot, as he studied Harry's bandaged leg, "It's a shabby work, shows one shouldn't try to heal themselves without an approved certificate. What spell did you use?"

"Episkey." admitted Harry

"Really, it shouldn't have worsened the condition then. Perhaps you didn't do the spell accurately, most wizards and witches feel with a wand, they are capable of anything, but really-"

"It could simply be the wrong wand." said Harry evenly.

"Nevertheless, no need to make a fuss on something you can easily heal, Ludric" said Dumbledore, his tone slightly reprimanding, as he noticed the glaring looks Harry was throwing at the Healer.

"I will see what I can do, probably have it in tip-top shape in a day or two." said Lancelot, unruffled by Dumbledore's admonition, and passing Harry a repugnant looking potion.

"Skele-Gro?" questioned Harry, trying not to inhale too much of the strong smell that wafted from the potion.

"Not really," Lancelot shook his head looking quite mournful, "Your bones haven't vanished for that. It's actually a restructuring potion, as the bones in your leg's lower extremity is frankly, shattered into….small fragments. It would have been easier if your bone had simply vanished, then all I would have had to do was, administer Skele-Gro, and assign you a bed rest."

"And now?"

"I've got to monitor you now, don't I?

Hogwarts looked barren; they passed no one on the way to the Hospital Wing. Harry assumed it was the holidays; it seemed everyone had opted to leave the school and return home. He wondered what he would be doing if he were back in his time. Probably sitting in a plush sofa and eating Kreacher's improved cooking.

It was a welcome feeling though, being back at Hogwarts, with all its mighty glory intact. It was not particularly nice on the other hand, to be in the presence of a constantly jabbering Healer, going on and on about the consequences of not monitoring patients and bone fragments assuming the wrong shapes, while at the same time trying to ignore the severe pain shooting up his wounded limb.

Dumbledore had left hours ago, cheerfully exiting the Wing before Lancelot could began his monologues on his vast collection of stories dealing with his experience in St Mungos.

"There was this one patient in St Mungos, not mine, mind you, who came with a case similar to yours. This fool of a mediwizard, named Pye or something of that like, gave the potion and left. The next day, the negligent fool goes to check on her and discovers the bones have assumed the shape of a Hippogriff's forelimb." said Lancelot, before guffawing.

Harry sighed; raising his eyes to meet Dilys Derwent's portrait, they shared a moment of mutual suffering, before he closed his eyes hoping he would be able to doze off soon.

Harry woke up to a sharp prodding on his mending leg.

"Kreacher, could you be any less callous." hissed Harry, slapping away the offending hand.

"The brat called for Kreacher, Kreacher found he had to answer." muttered the elf in a troubled tone.

"I called you hours ago! When the sun was still shining!" said Harry taking note of the crescent moon outside, luminous and pure in the dark. He noticed Lancelot was nowhere in sight, and Derwent's portrait had fallen asleep.

"Lower your volume." instructed Harry,"And for Merlin's sake, come closer!"

"Kreacher didn't want to answer, and Kreacher didn't have to when busy with Master's chores. But after that, he found himself forced to answer, nasty brat!" moaned the elf, shredding it's rag of a cloth.

"Did your master ask about me?" questioned Harry curiously

"No! Kreacher only wished he did. But Master didn't, he repeated his instructions, told Kreacher not to bother cleaning, and never go near the room. Then came back downstairs and acted as if nothing happened." replied the elf sorrowfully

"Well, you're going to go into the room for me." said Harry, and instantly got a protest, "Kreacher is not allowed to, no, No, NO!"

"Hush it, you were told not to go near the room; nothing prohibits you from apparating right to the spot. I want you to go and see if there is anything of mine there, like my wand and search for any hidden doors; try the floors first, alright? I never got around to investigating it properly. And you are to come when I am alone, understand? I'll call you. Don't make me wait like today."

"Yes, Kreacher understands." said Kreacher, lifting his fingers, planning to disapparate.

"And no informing anyone about any of this." warned Harry, knowing the tricky elf all too well.

"Right." said the elf, a bit more mournfully before disapparating.

Harry looked at Derwent's sleeping portrait; he was suspicious and had a good reason too. Pity, he liked Derwent, but her allegiance would always be with the Headmaster.

Harry closed his eyes again, wondering whether he could find someone who could teach him Occlumency. There were so many questions in his head. How far had Dumbledore gone? He was sure Dumbledore knew he was a time traveler, he had contemplated those theories in Grimmauld, and they were the nearest memories. Harry was also sure Dumbledore knew he was a Potter; his looks gave that much away. But what else did the man know?

Harry grimaced as a familiar pain hit again; having fragments of your bones attaching themselves was far more torturous than regrowing a bone altogether.

Why was he allotted a bed right where the sun-rays could directly hit his face?

"Have you had a good night's sleep?" asked Lancelot, gaily entering the Hospital Wing.

"What do you think?" asked Harry sarcastically, "It was splendid really, absolutely peaceful, I had a lovely night."

"Really?" asked Lancelot stopping in his tracks, "You would be the first to say that! I wonder if I gave you the right potion. I remember taking it from the left tray, just where I keep its supplies, I think-"

"The pain is gone, do I still have to stay in bed?" asked Harry

"Yes, yes you do, I need to check if I gave you the right potion or….wait a minute." said Lancelot drawing out the last few words. He gave Harry a disturbing smile, "Why didn't I think of it earlier, the first signs."

"What are you talking about?" asked Harry confused

"Oh, you're that type; I must have had my share of patients who are like that. Why didn't I recognize it in you?" went on Lancelot.

"You realize you're talking to yourself, right?"

"It's not something to be ashamed of really, but it's rare in the Wizarding world and not many admit to it. But it is quiet queer once you find out, and when they find out you found out, they won't stop pestering and threatening you to keep their secret."

"I have completely and utterly lost you."

"You don't have to pretend, it gets quiet tiring, dragging out the confession and all, I must have done it tens of times."

"Enlighten me."

"Why, you're a masochist! What do you think of that? You like pain!"

"I think you're a presumptuous pillock." pronounced Harry coldly

Dumbledore came that evening to the Hospital Wing. He found Harry quietly reading a Library book with a black cover.

"I am glad you found something to occupy your time, Harry. Hospital Wings can get lonely at times; cause people to get depressed."

"Do they make people starved for attention as well? Or do you just hire them that way." asked Harry peering from his book, and eyeing Dumbledore's flamboyant robe and blue bonnet.

"Whatever gave you that impression, Harry?" asked Dumbledore smilingly.

"Can I know when my leg will be completely healed?"

"Well, I am afraid only Healer Lancelot can answer that question. Where is he?" Dumbledore searchingly looked around the Wing

"Somewhere, brooding." shrugged Harry

"That doesn't sound like Lancelot." said Dumbledore surprised

"Yeah, well Hospital Wings can make one depressed." declared Harry, not meeting Dumbledore's blue eyes.

There were hushed mutterings from the other side of the closed doors, causing both of them to turn their heads in its direction. The doors opened, to let in an aging white-haired wizard along with a frail looking witch.

"Albus, that your nephew." asked the wizard genially gesturing towards Harry. And that's when Harry noticed, he was placed at the farthest end of the Hospital Wing, so visitors couldn't really see him that well when standing near the doors. Dumbledore paced forward towards them, spreading his arms, and effectively blocking Harry from view.

"Ahh, yes, Armando he is related to me from my mother's side." coughed Dumbledore, "My aunt, Honoria, remember her. Harry is her grandson."

"Oh, well!" said the witch, a bewildered look passing her eyes.

"It's surprising we never knew you had a nephew, Albus." said Armando Dippet in an apologetic tone, "It's just that, I hate to bring up the past, but wasn't Honoria unmarried?"

"Yes, Albus, didn't she break of her engagement saying her fiancé had a hairy heart? I didn't know she had gotten engaged again." said the witch, trying to take a peek at Harry who was being well hidden behind Dumbledore, "Much less, have a grandson."

"And they say he is quite young." added Dippet

"Rumors, Armando, I heard one that made him out to be an 11 year old. Surely impossible!" contradicted the witch.

"Love has no bounds, Galatea, not in blood nor in age." expressed Dumbledore jovially.

"Are you saying he is eleven years old?" questioned Dippet incredulously.

"Oh no, that is surely impossible." laughed Dumbledore

"Headmaster Dippet, the feast is starting." informed a passing professor, before stopping in his tracks, "I say, Albus, is that your nephew?"

"It seems so, Horace." answered Dippet,"Well, let's not trouble the poor child any further, he has faced a severe dark hex, let him rest. Lets head to the feasts shall we?"

This was sincerely irritating, first Dumbledore wasn't the Headmaster? It served to infuriate Harry at having been deceived. Secondly, he didn't like the way the professors went on talking about him and his fake story, in his presence, like he was an invalid. Thirdly he wanted to attend the feast, and they were leaving.

"I will join you momentarily." said Dumbledore ushering them all outside.

"Can I join as well?" asked Harry cheekily from the bed.

All four old professors stopped in their tracks.

"He speaks." said Horace, with disbelief

Harry looked at him wondering if the man was a bit loony, and if so why hadn't he noticed before.

"Well, obviously." he managed to get out, masking his sarcasm with a confused tone.

"Well, Albus, it looks to me like he is well recovered." said Galatea Merrythought

Dippet was nodding at her words, "Perhaps, Lancelot is not a bad sort after all, Albus. He certainly managed to heal your nephew swiftly, compared to normal standards. I am glad I took your suggestion."

"Thank you Armando, now Harry I think bed rest right now will do wonders. You have just recovered."

"What's the feast for?" asked Harry curiously, choosing to ignore Dumbledore's words for the moment.

"But it's Christmas! Surely you knew that. Albus didn't you tell him?" asked Merrythought in a surprisingly outraged voice.

"I didn't know." said Harry sadly, remembering his previous celebrations of Christmas with the Weasleys, and Hermione and…...in Hogwarts. Harry didn't know that he presented a perfectly adorable and pitiable picture, lying on the farthest Hospital bed with a bandaged leg and a forlorn expression on his face. It worked to his favor though.

"Albus, how could-" started Merrythought, before Dumbledore swiftly answered.

"Dear Galatea, he has been unconscious for a long time. So when he did wake up, I was more concerned about his well being. Christmas, I'm afraid was lost in the recesses of my mind."

"Well, can I attend?" asked Harry in a low voice.

"What does he say?" questioned Dippet, frowning, unable to hear the words.

But Dumbledore had, "You have just recovered, Harry."

"And the festivities will only liven up his spirits!" exclaimed Horace joyously, "Go on Albus, this isn't like you to withhold a child from happiness."

"It isn't my intention to, Horace." said Dumbledore, in a slightly testy tone.

"I am sure it isn't", said Dippet firmly supporting Dumbledore.

"I agree, but Albus, surely he can be allowed to join the festivities. It's Christmas Albus! There is so much less to cheer for, nowadays. I don't think it matters that he has just recovered, he should be allowed to join the celebrations.

Dippet seemed to be considering Merrythought's suggestion, "I don't see the bother, Albus?

"I feel just fine now." said Harry, for a good measure.

Four of them against a lone Dumbledore.

"If you feel upto it Harry. It is Christmas after all." said Dumbledore, giving up his one man struggle.

Score!

"You realize you have made it a bit more complicated now, don't you Harry? We will also have to change your look."

"Many have seen me; Lancelot, Dorea and Charis Black, the Ollivanders. How are we going to fool them?" questioned Harry, idly resting his head on his fingers.

"We don't bother about them, they will not be a problem." said Dumbledore unconcernedly waving his hand.

"Why didn't you tell me you weren't the Headmaster?" asked Harry "And why did Tom call you Headmaster, if you aren't yet?

"I am going to be, Armando retires this term. As I said before, Harry, gossip travels fast. But if it's true, I have no qualms encouraging it." answered Dumbledore simply.

An owl hooted, outside one of the Hospital windows near Harry's bedside. It was a handsome Screech owl, with a long, thin package attached to its leg.

"About time " said Dumbledore, a fond expression crossing his face, "Your wand has arrived."


	6. Chapter 6

Author Notes: I know most of you are wondering how Dumbledore found out about Harry, with two being vocal about it (Thank you for the reviews though), but like I said this story is kind of...slow progress, so it won't be revealed yet (his sources I mean)! It will take some more chapters, I'm sorry if you feel frustrated by that, but its like Dumbledore to hide information, and I don't want to make his character unrealistic, whats an author to do? Private message you? :D

Chapter 6

Harry stared at the brown package in his hands. Dumbledore was waiting patiently near his bedside, fiddling with the garish multicolored threads of the bedside lamp and making small talk.

"I do enjoy studying fancy patterns. I believe these were ordered just two months back to give the Hospital Wing a bit of…..color. It was all too white according to some in the faculty."

"And red." supplied Harry, turning to directly face the man.

Did he really want to play cat and mouse with Dumbledore of all people. He could just have a heart to heart or as close to one as possible with Dumbledore, and get some of his doubts cleared.

"I really hate snooping around for scraps of information, when I can just as easily get it in one piece." began Harry, taking the blunt approach, there was nothing to lose.

"Don't we wish it were all that simple." sighed Dumbledore

"And I really have no patience for subtlety." admitted Harry, "So it would be for the benefit of both of us, if you reveal whatever game you've planned."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with mischief, "I appreciate your straightforwardness, Harry, but I'm afraid I have no game planned, nor would I ever subject you to one."

"Then what's your ulterior motive, for helping me?" asked Harry, failing to stifle a yawn, "I'll be more willing to help if you didn't hide any secrets.

Dumbledore considered him for a moment. Harry tried not to flinch at the man's stare. He had decided, hadn't he? He wasn't going to beat around the bush, as he was new to the game of subtle manipulation and siphoning of information. He had decided on the blunt approach…for the present stretch at least

"I heard you got into a spot of trouble, with the Wviking Witches." said Dumbledore finally, "They are a voracious covey, have been completely untraceable for decades to the despair of the Ministry and rumors abound of their alliance with Grindelwald."

"And you think I got caught by them? Who's your source? Wait; forget I asked, you cannot tell me that, right? Source confidentiality and what not." said Harry, "How do you know they were the ones who kidnapped me?"

"I am quite certain they were the ones. It was unfortunate that you got caught by their lot and a surprise you managed to escape from them."

"And the reason for me posing as your nephew?" questioned Harry, "You know who I am and you know clearly well I'm not from this time, no doubt you found all that out through one of your sources"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily, "Yes, you could say that. I had my doubts, but thankfully you cleared them for me. If I daresay myself, you seem to know me well."

"Not as much as I would like" muttered Harry under his breath, "Well, seeing as you decided to help me out, I thank you. But the fact that your taking the trouble to conjure up a fake identity for me, somehow makes me feel you have something planned at the back of your mind. You wouldn't be willing to divulge it right now, will you?"

"I merely wished to help you, Harry. Your situation is one that not many find themselves in; it's an interesting concept that I wouldn't mind helping you with. By all means, you have every right to question my intentions, but that will get you nowhere and only lead to mistrust.

Harry thought over it, playing with the bindings on the brown package, before replying, "I could use your help, no doubt." he tilted his head to the side, contemplating, "My appearance for now, I'll take care of it, and altering charms are easy enough."

"I trust that it won't be difficult to change your appearance." agreed Dumbledore, "But it would be in your favor if I were present. I doubt you have ever met my family."

"I've seen most of them. How about brown? Brown hair, I don't have to change my eye color, it could be a paternal trait, and I'm planning to let the glasses go, faulty eyes seem to be a Potter trait as well. I am fairly capable of a hair straightening charm, has worked before so that shouldn't be a problem."

"You're capable of fixing your vision?"

"I have a spell well researched, shouldn't give me much trouble."

Well, since you have it figured out," said Dumbledore genially nodding his head, when he paused, "What is your age, Harry?"

"I'm nineteen." replied Harry lying through his teeth, "I guess now that I feel alright, I'll be leaving soon, well after the feast of course." he finished.

"And here I thought you'd be much younger." mused Dumbledore

"They say appearances can be deceiving."

"So they do, but just to prevent any suspicions arising, let's say your seventeen." said Dumbledore, scrutinizing him, before nodding, "Yes, you fit that age, perfectly."

"Nineteen." said Harry, laying stress on the one word, "And I can change my appearance to resemble the required traits of what people consider acceptable for a nineteen year old.

"No matter you'll pass for seventeen without difficulty."

Harry narrowed his eyes, at Dumbledore's continues insistence "It looks like you're planning to make me eligible for enrollment in Hogwarts?"

"Hogwarts is arguably one of the safest neutral homes, especially in times of hostilities. I merely wish to ensure you have shelter and secrecy from prying eyes of the Dark."

"So I just start Hogwarts in my Seventh year, as your nephew. And how lucky for me your going to be the Headmaster soon. Oh, my situation is going to raise a lot of questions with the Board of Governors."

"Everything has been taken care of with them. They did not give me much trouble."

"It's surprising how much trust you have in me. I could be an evil dark wizard rising for all you know." said Harry slowly, trying to gauge Dumbledore's reaction.

"You'll pardon me when I say I find that possibility preposterous."

"I'm a time traveler, and have yet to be asked any questions regarding the future." stated Harry, changing track, not at all pleased with the indulgent smile on Dumbledore's face..

"Are you disappointed at that, Harry?"

"Aren't you the slightest bit interested in the future?"

"No, there is no scope for adventure in a predestined future."

"Some others might not exactly share that viewpoint."

"I am glad you finally understand."

"Your grand plan," laughed Harry, "Keep the time traveler away from enemy hands."

Harry watched as Dumbledore headed for the doors.

"I just have one more question." said Harry, lifting himself up from the bed, so his view was unobstructed by the lamp on the bedside table.

"Ask away, Harry."

"Is your fashion sense unique, or does it extend to the family members as well?"

Harry was actually looking forward to life as a Hogwarts student. He knew all too well, Dumbledore was scheming to keep him close, but that shouldn't prevent him from doing his own bit of planning, as well as enjoying the new experience of a Hogwarts in the early 20th century.

And now that there was no interfering presence, Harry jubilantly tore open the package, to reveal a polished wand case, attached with a note.

"We look forward to hearing of your exploits together

OLLIVANDERS

Makers of Fine Wands

Since 382 B.C"

He took out the enclosed wand, fingering the small needle-like projections in the middle and waiting for a familiar warmth to rush through him. He felt nothing; the wand lay limp in his hand, giving no signs of magical acceptance.

Staring at the handsome bone-white wand, that had a comfortable hilt secured at its end, Harry felt disgruntled with the lack of response, the wand failed to produce any warmth or sparks. He twirled it a bit experimentally, but it could have been a stick for all his efforts.

Harry flicked his wand idly, sensing the wand grow colder in his hand, yet it was nice to hold in the warmth of the Hospital Wing; it was like eating ice cream on a sunny day.

"Hmm, let's see, which spell." mused Harry, when his eyes fell on the gaudy lamp cloth, "Waddiwasi" he said pointing the fair wand towards it.

He ended up suffering a mild migraine as a freezing sensation engulfed him just as instantly as the lamp cloth along with the lamp came flying towards him.

"Finite!" he hissed out through his pounding head. The lamp lost its momentum, falling on his lap.

Merlin, the wand was just the opposite of his old one. Instead of warmth he was greeted with icy chilliness. But it had worked perfectly for him; perhaps the cold was the wand's way of greeting. There was a slip inside the wand case, which blew tantalizingly close to Harry's hand, attracting his notice.

It was a description of the wand;

Aspen wand wood, 14 ½ inches,

Thestral tail hair

Lithe and caustic

Harry reclined his head cozily on the pillow, concentrating on the coldness radiating from the Aspen wand. He could just get used to its icy comfort. Wait, he had a feast to attend...

Author Notes: I was on vacation people, will be updating soon.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"You look absolutely smashing, darling! There is no need for more preening, off you go!

"Though the messy hair was nicer, run your hand through it a bit."

"Shut it you! What do you know the first thing about grace or refinement? Go on darling, before the charm weakens, your hair looks about ready to revert back to its original chaos!"

"And that looks horrible doesn't it? Isn't that what you're saying? I don't like you, why did you create such a prude?"

"Who are you to call me such names?"

"Alright enough!" ordered Harry, regretting the action of conjuring up two mirrors of conflicting opinions. It had been a moment of vanity; he had wanted to seek diverse views on his new appearance, once the glamour charm had been cast. Dark brown hair that had been successfully tamed for the time being, slightly altered cheekbones, a straight edged nose and his now faint scar well hidden, Harry could pass close scrutiny. Besides there was no way people could compare him to Dumbledore, given their age difference.

"Its sitting too comfortably, give it a shake! You look like a goody-goody."

"Don't you mess with the hair now! Still, perhaps a little more patting is required; I can see unruly strands appearing at the sides now, how horrible. I think the charms wearing off already!"

"Good riddance! Perhaps we can have some sassy hair then! It looks too depressing now."

"Pat it a bit more, darling; you don't want to go looking like an imp!"

"Its heinously flat as it is."

Harry caught hold of the "prudish" mirror, checking his appearance conscientiously.

"Pat it down a bit, just a little bit!"

"I look alright." he stated with finality, vanishing the two mirrors before they could protest or offer any more suggestions. He was ready, having worn black robes and pushing his wand inside the back pocket of his pants he headed out. Moody's words rang in his mind, but Harry chose not to pay much heed to the paranoid Auror's warning.

Harry sighted Dumbledore outside the Hospital Wing; the old man was leisurely talking to a student wearing Hogwarts standard black robe. Albus Dumbledore saw him hesitating, and beckoned him closer.

"Minerva, meet my nephew Ha-"

"Hadrian, nice to meet you, Madam." interrupted Harry smoothly, doing his best not to look too shocked at the young appearance of the future Transfiguration teacher. Thankfully for him, McGonagall took it in her stride.

"My pleasure as well." replied Minerva, giving him a smile, which quickly became strained when the conversation came to a pause.

"Minerva is one of the finest students Hogwarts has ever had and I'm sure, will make a wonderful Head girl." Dumbledore generously filled in, patting the girl on the shoulder, "Nothing to worry about. The feast will be ending soon, Minerva, you will be expected to help with the patrols."

"Yes, I had better be going, then. I'll be seeing you, Hadrian."

Harry quirked an eyebrow at Dumbledore.

"She is a studious witch, excellent in Transfiguration" replied Dumbledore, before adding "And I am the Head of Gryffindor House."

"Alright, about my house, will I be sorted by the hat? I mean it would be like my second time. Can I just go to the same house?"

"I'm afraid you will have to go through the sorting process all over again, Harry. Besides it might be fun, not many get the chance to be sorted twice. Are you worried you won't end up in the same house?"

"Oh, no, I will definitely be sorted in Gryffindor." assured Harry. He was looking forward to the Gryffindor dormitories, what he wasn't looking forward to was the mental battle that awaited him once the hat was placed on his head.

"We will be heading to the Headmaster's office, you'll be sorted there and then we can head to the feasts. And, you have decided upon your name?"

"Hadrian Dumbledore has a better ring to it, at least better than Harry Dumbledore; do you have any other better suggestion perhaps?"

"None, shall we?"

"Harry shrugged, and followed Dumbledore; they soon stopped near the stone gargoyle which immediately moved once given the password "Beetle beard!".

They reached the Headmaster's study with its circular room and many windows. And there, on top of the table sat the shabby sorting hat.

Professor Merrythought pointed at the chair near the table for him to sit, "I hope you won't be a hatstall, you'll be greeted with an empty Great Hall, if that's the case."

The hat came to life, moving its pointy end in a considering manner, "A late entry, have we here?"

"Well it didn't take long." murmured Dumbledore happily steering them towards the Great Hall. Harry didn't comment, too busy massaging his forehead, it had been a hard won fight after all.

The Great Hall was in full Christmas splendor with a towering Christmas tree near the entrance with live fairies fluttering about; a few fairies had fallen asleep hanging on the bows and looking cozy sleeping on top of wooden Christmas balls.

Dry snow and snowflakes were falling from the enchanted ceiling, and inside the Great Hall stood twelve decorated Christmas trees weighed down by heaps of snow piled on top of their branches. There were few students left in the house tables; most having finished off and gone to bed. There were mostly only older students left, most in clusters of six or seven. The staff table had four Professors, Harry recognized Professor Kettleburn easily, though for the present time, he had both his hands functioning well, attacking his plate of flaming pudding with fervor and wearing a Doxy stuffed hat. Next to him, sat an unknown Professor who had a jolly looking face, both were enthusiastically discussing something, while Dumbledore was energetically persuading a skeptical faced Professor Merrythought to pull on one of the Christmas crackers.

Harry scanned the Hall, taking in some of the familiar traits, though he had yet to place them properly with their correct names. The tables were still reasonable full with different dishes, so Harry headed towards the Gryffindor table.

Sixth and seventh years in Gryffindor were making up a huge number, huddled together at the end of the table. They looked like they were discussing and, going by their facial expressions arguing something heatedly. Harry spied McGonagall standing at the edges of the group, a displeased expression on her face. He strolled to the center of the table, just where most of the dishes were within reach and promptly sat down, unmindful of the many eyes following his advance. Harry casually allowed his eyes to stray over to the other tables. The last few Slytherins and remaining Ravenclaws were leaving the Great Hall, while the Hufflepuffs were still seated and relatively calm compared to the boisterous Gryffindors. There were still many who were looking at him curiously, so Harry offered them a Cheshire cat grin which had most turn their heads away, back to their plates.

The feast in front of him was a delight, especially after having had only the foul-smelling bitter potions given by Lancelot, morning, noon and night. There was roasted turkey, fat chipolatas, bowls of assorted sauces and thick gravy, pitchers of eggnog combined with a fiery Christmas pudding generously doused in brandy. Harry was going to make a real meal out them all. He was piling on the food, when some Gryffindors approached him; a freckled red-haired prefect followed by a stout dark-haired girl and bespectacled boy.

"Hello there, your Dumbledore's nephew aren't you?" questioned the prefect, tilting his head towards the staff table where Dumbledore sat wearing his blue bonnet along with a disgruntled Merrythought who was now wearing a clown-like hat with a stuffed Gerbil on top.

"Err, yeah that would be me, Hadrian Dumbledore, and you lot would be?"

"Septimus Weasley, she's Enid Longbottom and-" tilting his head towards the bespectacled boy, "Acamar Shafiq"

"Nice to meet you, can any of you tell me where I can find Ignatius Prewett?"

Septimus Weasley scowled at the mention of the name, "You'll find him in the Gryffindor common room." he answered in a polite tone.

"So you're in Gryffindor?" asked Enid Longbottom, twirling a strand of her dark hair.

"Nope, I just want to meet Prewett so we can discuss inter-house relations, maybe have a party which allows only Slytherin-Gryffindor couples…you know, the basic thing. I mean even this-"Harry indicated the Gryffindor table, "Just the start, people."

Seeing the dumbstruck looks, Harry amended, "He is supposed to be my dorm mate."

"That wasn't funny." scowled Acamar Shafiq, beside him Septimus Weasley's face was fully red, but Enid looked amused, which was good enough for Harry.

"You find that funny? In these times, you think you can just make jokes just because of who you are?"

"Septimus, come on lets go, he is Dumbledore's nephew after all." cut in Acamar Shafiq pulling Weasley away from the table.

"And that makes me different?" asked Harry grinning, as the two boys left him, leaving Enid behind, "That was an uncalled for reaction."

"Septimus is going through a rough patch; you must have read in the Prophet, about the Pureblood Directory, it came in the Daily just two days back."

"Yeah." said Harry looking interested, while he poured some eggnog in his goblet. He had frankly never heard of the article before.

"Well it brought some old wounds back, I'd avoid talking about Slytherins, anything good about them that is, in his presence, or else he will explode like an Erumpent Horn."

"Really, why is that? Hey, sit down, you don't mind giving me company do you?" asked Harry patting the seat next to him.

"No, I don't." said Enid, though she looked around a bit before sitting, "You know everyone is quite curious about you, ever since it leaked that Dumbledore has a nephew?"

"I have been warned." said Harry laughing, "So why is Weasley so cranky? Don't tell me he has a bias against Slytherins."

"The opposite if you take in the fact that he is in love with Cedrella Black."

"You're a gossip!" said Harry, pointing his creamy fork in her direction, "But I admire that."

"It's known to everyone in the school." shrugged Enid, "Besides Septimus hasn't kept it a secret, even her parents know about it, which hasn't made things easy for Cedrella."

"The Blacks don't want her to marry a Weasley, is that it? Because they are blood traitors?"

"You certainly are with the times, they may be pureblood, but since they turned their back on the Directory, they were labeled "Blood Traitors", for the Blacks that was as bad as a Muggle-born."

"And he doesn't sound very pleased to hear about Prewett." said Harry, before pushing a goblet filled with eggnog, in which Harry had slyly mixed some flaming pudding towards Enid.

"I'm kind of full." she said biting her lip

"But not completely full, this one tastes heavenly." said Harry lazily supporting his head with his knuckles.

"The Prewetts are old family friends; the Weasleys expected them to join them against the Pureblood Directory, but the Prewetts were contented to simply ignore it. That didn't go down well, but really who wants to be labeled "Blood Traitor" willingly?" Enid finished the contents of the goblet rapidly, before smirking at Harry, "You're slow, Dumbledore."

Harry gave her an evil grin, "Bring it on."

Seven refills later….

A droopy eyed Enid was watching Harry sip the remnants of his eggnog at turtle speed. The Great Hall was empty of students except the two of them, with the staff table being occupied by only Professor Kettleburn and Professor Herbert Beery, the previously unknown Professor; both were still discussing something fervently, using hand motions from time to time to give greater emphasis.

Finally, you've finished! Let's go, before the Fat Lady falls asleep."

"Ahh! You waited for me, I'm touched."

Enid winked, before adopting a haughty pose, "Yes, I'm known for being kind to pitiful creatures, do you even know where the Gryffindor tower is, or the password?"

"I am a Dumbledore." said Harry mimicking her attitude.

Both laughingly headed out of the Great Hall, only to smack right into another student.

"Ms Longbottom, yet to master the art of walking," said a calm voice above them, as they lay in a tangled heap on the floor. Harry managed to push the one on top of him; and going by the disgusted sound, he guessed the boy was a Slytherin. Enid moaned, she had been the unfortunate one below both of them; she coughed a bit as Harry helped her up.

"Two wretched blind cubs." said the Slytherin boy as Enid and Harry dusted their robes. Harry was about to give him one of his charming smiles when he noticed the one who had mocked Enid before.

A Head boy badge pinned on the black robe and offering them a charming smile of his own, Tom Riddle stood before him in the flesh.

"Sorry, just a little tipsy." muttered Enid, finding it difficult to stand properly. She had a surprised look on her face, when her legs started wobbling. Harry got hold of her arm as she was about to fall over, finding an excuse not to meet Riddle's eyes. He wasn't sure whether the seventeen year old Riddle could do Legilimency yet, he wasn't going to risk it.

"Stuffed yourselves then, hmm? One would think you lot are starved of food, the way you eat." continued the Slytherin mockingly.

"Lycus, surely you realize who you're talking to, Dumbledore's dear young nephew, Hadrian was it? Since we have just met, my name is Tom Riddle. If you face any difficulties which you can't resolve yourself Hadrian, you can-"Riddle's smile brightened considerable here, "Always come to me."

Riddle's eyes then moved to the entrance of the Great Hall "Good evening Professor Beery"

"Tom! Just the one, join us for a moment dear boy! Silvanus….Silvanus? Are you coming? Mr. Carrow, you as well."

"They did something to my leg, I so know it." hissed Enid placing one hand on the wall for support; they watched the two Slytherins leave with the Professors.

He had thought Voldemort was older than Professor McGonagall, they couldn't have been Head boy and Head Girl in the same year.

Enid threw a worried glance at Harry as the normally chipper wizard started swearing under his breath.

Had he traveled to a different world instead of time travel? He was going to call Kreacher as soon as he was alone. Did the wily coot know?


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Chivalry reigns!"

"Not in you apparently, waking me up so late!" grumbled the Fat Lady, swinging backwards.

"Do you know your dorm room?" asked Enid, her feet still wobbling, "And do have any idea what hex he used?"

"It must have been a non-verbal one, I didn't hear him." said Harry studying her trembling form.

"Slippery little salamander." muttered Enid, falling on one of the fat sofas, "Finite! Finite! Finite! Finally!"

Happily she then stretched her legs, "I'll get Carrow for that soon enough."

"Is that Prewett?" asked Harry pointing at an auburn haired boy who seemed to have fallen asleep on a plushy red armchair near the fireplace.

"That's him, he has been doing that a lot lately", informed Enid, pointing her wand in Prewett's direction, "Sleeping in the common room I mean. Avis!"

With a loud blast and bright blue light that Harry had to flinch away from, a flock of birds shot out of Enid's wand, twittering madly about before heading towards Prewett.

"What, for Merlin's sake-"hissed Ignatius Prewett, waking up as the tiny birds pecked his face happily, "Get these away from me, Merlin! Where did that noise come from? Oh, it's you, you spell-happy little-".

"Slept off again, Iggy, meet Hadrian Dumbledore, your recent dorm mate. Hadrian… meet Ignatius Prewett also known widely as Iggy the Prig or just Iggy. "

Prewett scowled at her, "Ignatius Prewett, you won't be calling me Iggy or any such nonsense, alright Dumbledore?" said Prewett in a serious tone, though he gave his hand for Harry to shake.

"Call me Hadrian." said Harry shaking Prewett's hand, "And I'll try, what with Enid around, who else calls you that?"

"Septimus, Shafiq and only the entire lot here." answered Enid, winking at Prewett, who ignored her comment.

"Come on then, let's head to the dorm. And that does not go for you, Enid. If I see you again in the boy's dorm, I'm seriously complaining to Professor Dumbledore."

Harry gave his new friend a grin before following Prewett to their dorm, the girl looked unconcerned at the threat, "Night! Be careful of the Erklings, Iggy!"

Prewett groaned, his footsteps hastily moving up the staircase, as Harry laughed. "She certainly knows you well then?"

"Childhood memories, they are a right pain! People remember every embarrassing incident, not that I'm going to tell you, mind."

They had reached the dormitory with its four-poster beds; it was quite dim with the stove's feeble flame providing the only light in the room.

"No need, I wouldn't bother with you, not with Enid around." teased Harry.

"Right there's the half of our lot, we actually have two dormitories for Seventh years, let's see, I'll just introduce you tomorrow, everyone's asleep now."

There were seven beds in the room, five of them occupied leaving two empty. Harry went to the bed which had a bright magenta colored trunk with yellow lemon drops decorating the front beside it. Not at all subtle, Dumbledore.

"That yours?" asked Prewett clearly amused.

"Give me a moment." replied Harry tightly, taking out his Aspen wand and changing the trunk completely black, "My uncle has a sense of humor."

"Not with his sweets, I think he takes them seriously. So, your favorite color is purplish-pink huh?"

"Goodnight, Iggy."

"What did I tell you about calling me that? Are you listening, wait your not actually heading to bed are you? Err, don't you want to get into more comfortable robes? Well….goodnight then."

Harry had to wait for a few hours, as Prewett was a slow sleeper; he was planning to sneak into the common room and call for Kreacher, he had a theory to confirm with that elf! And Voldemort was in the same vicinity as him. Killing his future foe was out of question, though Harry entertained the idea, the various possibilities of what the future could become once Voldemort was killed before his time Harry could at least wonder. Wait….why couldn't he kill Voldemort? He would have to think about that, after all if this was an entirely different world, what did he have to lose?

When he was completely sure Prewett had fallen asleep Harry got out of his bed. He had just reached the bottom of the steps, when he heard hushed voices. Quickly whispering a disillusionment charm over himself, and cursing the current occupants in his head, Harry stepped into the common room just in time to be treated to the sight of a kissing couple near the fireplace. He recognized the red hair as well as Black features perfectly. Septimus Weasley and Cedrella Black seemed to be passionately snogging one another in a way Harry had yet to experience. He had to try that out for himself, as soon as he found the time …or the opportunity. The two love birds managed to detach themselves just enough to mutter incomprehensible words before having another go at each other. The lazy flames from the fireplace gave them a nice romantic background that few would have the heart to interrupt.

"You need to stop sulking…it's not helping matters…find it…excuse" were some words Harry caught, which were uttered by Cedrella when both stopped to draw breath.

"I can't stay like …my Cedrella...…"

Alright, that was more than Harry was willing to stomach, and he needed the two to vacate the common room so he took off his charm, "What a lovely show of affection…. you two couldn't have found an empty broom closet to enclose it in?"

Seeing the flushed and furious faces, Harry continued, "You both are Prefects after all, wouldn't have been a difficult task. Oh, pardon me Ms Black, but aren't you in Slytherin?"

"Dumbledore isn't it, what are you doing up so late?" questioned Cedrella Black, her voice having a suggestion of arrogance; she had recovered quickly, unlike Weasley who was still flushed and furious, and judging by the way his mouth was twisting he was on the verge of uttering a curse or two in Harry's direction.

Harry twirled his Aspen wand lightly, in warning before turning his attention towards Cedrella, "The same reason as you both, I have a bonny beauty to meet."

"You just came-"

"Septimus, honestly? Can't you realize he is lying?" drawled Cedrella, giving Weasley a disappointed look.

"What do you want, Dumbledore?" Weasley demanded aggressively.

"I just said it. Now Ms Black do you mind, you can take your lover with you, if you please. If anyone finds out a Slytherin is or was in the Gryffindor common room, well what's that saying the muggles say; all hell will break loose." finished Harry dramatically, plopping himself on a comfy sofa.

"I've to go anyway, Septimus." muttered Cedrella, heading towards the tower exit.

"Cedrella…wait; let me walk you out at least."

"And what good is that Septimus, it's not like you're going to come any further, not to the dungeons anyway."

Black left them; an angry Weasley rounded on Harry, "Well, I hope you're pleased with yourself."

"Why ever would I be?" asked Harry in false surprise, "So are you planning to head back? You are in another dorm aren't you?"

"Yes, I am thankfully." said Weasley shortly

They stood silently for a few minutes, sleep was quickly overtaking Harry and Weasley didn't look like he planned to leave.

"You don't want to go up, then?" asked Harry, unable to stop yawning.

"Oh no! I am waiting for your bonny beauty to show up, so I can meet her."

"And then what, you'll leave?"

"Once I tell her what a right ass you are."

"Well what if I said she lost her way taking a detour, and just decided to sleep it off?"

Weasley blinked, confused, "You're weird, Dumbledore. I am not leaving though, I don't fancy sleeping now."

Looking at the determined look on his face, Harry realized there was no getting him out of the common room, "Alright, I'm heading out for a stroll."

"That's not allowed! It's against the rules." came the reply promptly

"You hypocrite." said Harry, casting the disillusionment charm on himself and pulling open the circular hole.

"I'm telling Dumbledore!"

"Then so will I!" replied Harry climbing out of the portrait hole. He was heading for the Room of Requirement, where he could get an uninterrupted session with Kreacher.

"Who's that no good scoundrel? Waking me up so late!" complained the Fat Lady as he walked away from the Gryffindor Tower.

He soon located the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy; now all he had to do was walk past it three times. The Room appeared soon enough, after Harry had sprinted past it triple times. He felt a strange sensation as he entered the Room; the place was dusty, closing his eyes, Harry wished for the required atmosphere. The Room instantly took the form of a serene atmosphere, which Harry found funny.

"Kreacher!" shouted Harry to his heart's content, before surprisingly bursting into fits of laughter. He didn't know for sure why he felt the need to laugh hysterically at the moment; perhaps he shouldn't have mixed the brandy doused pudding with the eggnog and had nine goblets of it. He waited for a long time, but the elf didn't come. What job did Kreacher have this late at night?

He was feeling really sleepy now, and he was finding it odd that he couldn't stop laughing, until a possible explanation dawned on him.

Merlin! Harry hoped he wasn't under some spell; his unstoppable laughing though was destroying his hope. Who else knew of the Room of Requirement? Riddle, he knew about the Room of Requirement and hadn't he hid the Diadem horcrux here? This was going to be fun; as soon as he countered the laughing spell, he was tracking the horcrux down. The only problem was he couldn't form the words in his mouth; he would have to do a non-verbal "Finite Incantatem".

His wand grew cold as he thought of the incantation in his mind; it was a nice indicator for finding out if one's spells worked or not. Having got rid of the hex, and then waiting in vain for Kreacher, Harry headed out of the room, after making sure no more spells awaited him near the exit. But he did meet an unexpected fellow House-mate.

"Hello, so how did you find out about it?"

The wizard before him was looking cheekily at Harry; he had light brown hair and dark brown eyes, and had his hands behind his back.

"Who are you?" asked Harry trying to place the features of the wizard before him.

"Lyall Lupin, what's your name? But you're a Gryffindor; I've never seen you before."

He had to be Remus's father, a much happier version.

"Hadrian, just came yesterday and I'm a 7th year. Are you a 5th year or 6th?

"5th year, we have never had new enrollments for upper years before. There was one for 3rd, but that's all. So how did a new student find out about the Room?"

"Sheer luck, I was simply exploring the place, and wandering around aimlessly; it just appeared, with a big squashy chair inside….after I got tired of walking."

The boy grinned at that, "I found it by luck as well! It's very useful, I don't think many know about it, well….other than a few Ravenclaws and err the Head boy, you know Tom Riddle."

"And why is the Room hexed? I know you did it"

Lupin gave a laugh that sounded forced, "Well after an unfortunate incident with a Ravenclaw student, I decided to cast a modified version of a cheering charm, which would inform me when someone's using it and occupy them until I get there, I see you have gotten rid it."

"Not that difficult to do, why would you want to know if someone's using the room?"

"Err, curiosity I guess-"

"And something else as well."

Lupin looked uneasy, "Nothing else-"

"What is it?"

"I'm telling you-"

"The Ravenclaws can tell me I bet."

"You don't know which one." said Lupin looking coldly at Harry.

"I'll have to put a notice then."

"But that will inform the whole public!"

"The more the merrier, we could host a ball in here."

"I-"Lupin looked resigned, "Can you just let it rest?"

"I could help you, Lupin, whatever the problem."

"Why would I trust you? You're just a new student; you don't know much about the castle exits."

"I know a lot about Hogwarts, my uncle teaches here, so I know a lot of secret exits as well, Lupin, more than you I bet.

"Your uncle?"

"Professor Dumbledore, ring a bell?" Harry winked at the bewildered boy.

Lupin seemed to be taking in the new revelation.

"Err, uncle you say, I find that frankly a bit difficult to believe, I thought it was just a rumor." Lupin looked consideringly at Harry, "Fine, I'm trusting you. Do you know what a Griffin is?"

Griffins, he had caught sight of its picture in one of the Library books Hermione had borrowed for reading in their sixth year. They had looked more eagle than lion to Harry.

"A mix of lion and eagle, right?"

"Yes, well I found one, don't ask me how, I'm not telling you!"

"You hid it in the Room?" questioned Harry skeptically

"It was a baby; I didn't know what to do with it. Well, this is a perfect place, and I've been feeding it-"

"Do the Ravenclaws know? The Ravenclaw you had…..an accident with?"

"No, he only saw me, the Griffin was hidden. I'm planning to take it away during the holidays-"

"And you haven't told anyone about it?" asked Harry; Lupin was somewhat reminding him of Hagrid…wait, Hagrid?

"Ahh Lyall, did you get it from somewhere or from…someone?" questioned Harry looking slyly at Lupin.

The past was proving to be too easy.

"It was Hagrid wasn't it?" asked Harry, taking pity at the conflicted emotions appearing on Lupin's face.

"How do you know him?"

"Professor Dumbledore told me. So he gave it to you, did he?"

"He found it in the Forbidden Forest."

"Listen I'm going to help you, but tell me, did you tell anyone about this Room?"

"I figured they can find it out themselves, when they need it." shrugged Lupin

"So the ones who know," said Harry carefully playing out his words, "do they know that others might also know?"

Lyall Lupin scratched his neck thoughtfully, "Err, well I know the Ravenclaws know about me, because of the accident, I don't think the Head boy knows or he may know, I'm not too sure. We should head back to the common room, the Heads usually patrol this floor a lot, and they have the worst punishments once you end up with detention, Carpe loves meting out humiliating punishments, so we need to hurry-"

"Carpe?"

"Rancorous Carpe, he's the caretaker, the Knarl who thought of containing Peeves inside a bell jar, that's the school poltergeist, another one you got to watch out for."

Both headed back to the common room, Riddle's horcrux could wait.

….x…x

"Wake up! Merlin help you!"

It was a bright sunny morning, and Prewett was shouting at him unnecessarily. Harry opened his eyes to see six sleepy-eyed dorm mates near his bedside peering at him with interest.

"Right, he has finally woken up; let me introduce you to," Prewett pulled a blue-eyed Gryffindor, "Leo Longbottom, beside him-"

"Hello, do you have a twin?" asked Harry interrupting Prewett's flow.

"No, but I'm guessing you met Enid, she is seven months younger to me."

"Mrs. Longbottom got heartily sick of waiting, so she hastened up the process." informed a boy with blond hair, "Marty Richards."

Prewett then continued introducing Harry to the rest of their dorm mates; Harry tuned out most of the introduction, having had just a few hours sleep last night.

…..x…..x

A few days had gone by; Harry had confirmed his theory with Dumbledore after Kreacher had repeatedly failed to show up and was planning on a Hogsmeade trip. He found himself quite alone in the carriage as not one of his dorm mates wanted to venture out. His carriage had just started moving, when Harry heard footsteps scrambling through the snow.

"Good evening, hello, just in time, thankfully." said the wizard lifting himself into the carriage. He wore a straw hat, making for an unusual sight.

"Hello?"

"Call me Edward, Edward Lovegood. Oh, you're a Gryffindor, thank Merlin! Mostly Slytherins heading out these days; nearly had my skull cracked when I boarded their carriage last trip."

"Lovegood" said Harry, good-naturedly peering at the wizard, "Ravenclaw, aren't you?"

"Yes, but for some reason Slytherins don't like me even then. Can't know with them. So where are you heading Dumbledore?"

"Hadrian, I am probably going to the Three Broomsticks, and then Scrivenshaft's Quill shop as I need some new ones."

"I'll tell you something Hadrian, I'll tell you for what I'm really going to Hogsmeade for." said Edward looking conspiratorially at Harry.

"Go on." said Harry preparing himself for wacky theories on magical creatures.

"They say a fleet of Numbwarts are going to infest on Hogsmeade."

"Numbwarts" asked Harry with an amused face.

"They are big creatures with many tiny limbs; they have been wanted for their venom for years, could sell for Galleons!"

"And who told you?"

Edward stopped mid-flow blinking rapidly at Harry, "Why should you ask that, aren't you excited at the prospect of seeing them?"

At that moment their carriage jolted suddenly throwing them off their seats.

"Oh, I think they have reached us, but its too early." shouted Edward hysterically, beginning to crawl out of the carriage.

"Edward must you react like this?"

We can't escape them, but at least I would've caught a glimpse-"

"Edward, stop moving, your leg just hit me in-"

"I see them!" shouted the wizard, half his body dangling outside the slow-moving carriage.

"The carriage must have stumbled on a rock, Edward! For…...Numbwarts sake, man stop moving!"

"I see-"

Flipping Edward's body off him, Harry climbed out through the other side of the carriage and managed to stop the two thestrals harnessed to it.

"I can see them…" came a muffled voice from the other side of the carriage, before there was a "thud" sound. "They wear dark robes, oh-"

As he reached the other side, Harry groaned inwardly at the sight of two heavy robed figures standing beside Edward's sprawled body.

"Dumbledore, what a surprise! We thought something unfortunate had happened here." said Tom Riddle smiling, "And imagine our sorrow at seeing dear Lovegood in such a pathetic condition. Whatever did you do to him?"

Lovegood was lying on the mud, near their feet, motionless.

"This was highly unexpected from you, Dumbledore." said Lycus Carrow kicking away Edward's straw hat, which had fallen on the ground.

Author Notes: I am tired of writing more, thought I might post this anyway. Next update will be a bit slow. Ta!

Thank you for the reviews, and for reading, all of you even the ones who read this as guests, though I have no way of knowing. :D


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Harry eyed Riddle and Carrow warily; he could hear the thestrals stamping their hoofs and snorting impatiently behind him. Riddle's own carriage was just a few feet away, with the carriage door open; he could see more occupants inside, no doubt they all would come rushing out at Riddle's signal. There was not a single thestral-driven carriage behind them; theirs were the last two carriages, which made them the only people in the zone.

Harry took out his wand, trying to make it look like a casual gesture and walked towards the still wizard.

"Well, Dumbledore, is he going to wake up? Or is batty Lovegood in for eternal sleep?" questioned Carrow smirking. He turned to glance at Riddle, who was watching Harry with an unfathomable look.

"You tell me, Carrow. You both reached him first." answered Harry studying Edward's body; he was showing no signs of breathing.

Harry knelt down beside Edward and uttered in a low tone, "Rennervate". When Edward failed to stir, Harry felt his temper rising at the two smiling Slytherins.

"It doesn't seem to be working, Dumbledore."

"Then I ask you to try Riddle. As the Head boy, I am expected to come to you when I can't solve matters right?"

"How would I know how to counter the effect of your unknown spell, dear Hadrian-"replied Riddle, giving a light-hearted laugh.

"Spare your little lies for someone gullible enough to fall for them, Riddle. An unprovoked attack on someone using a dark curse is punishable, I won't mention it though, if you revive him immediately." lied Harry; he was planning on reporting them at the first chance he got.

"Did you hear, Lycus? He accuses us of using the dark arts."

"You don't have to go through the trouble of hiding the truth from me, Tom." said Harry, stressing on the last word.

If it weren't for the snow and chilly air around them already, the atmosphere would have noticeably decreased in temperature.

Riddle's lips formed a sneer in response, "Just like your _uncle _then, but you're not very careful Dumbledore, challenging me all alone". Riddle took out his own wand and beside him Carrow did the same.

"Two against one, it looks like you're unsure of your victory, Tom."

Riddle barely threw a look at his companion, "He is just the one who's going to be healing you, once I'm done-"

"Done what? Losing? The victor gets treated first right?" goaded Harry

Carrow frowned, "I don't thi-"

Harry didn't pay much attention to the rest of his words as he had just noticed a bright, white light in the night sky, which was expanding by the minute.

"What's he looking at?"

"Lycus, I can safely say I have no idea. My experience with all three of them has proved that every Dumbledore is afflicted with eccentric disabilities that cannot be helped. Maybe staring at the skies is his….."

The white light was rapidly increasing in size and hurtling closer to them.

"I wonder if a hex will bring him back to earth, Tom?"

"Dumbledore, wherever does your attention waver-"began Riddle coming closer to him.

Harry's eyes were entranced as the massive white light, which now covered most of the sky, stopped suddenly and started shrinking inwards. It was like a vortex, sucking in every inch of white light in the sky, until it was just a tiny dot. And just like the calm before the storm, the white dot then….popped soundlessly, shrouding the entire horizon in black; masking the moon and the skies.

"Get down now!" he shouted, as multiple different colored spells shot out of the darkness. Riddle ducked almost reflexively, narrowly escaping a bright blue spell; Carrow on the other hand deviating from his leader's approach for once made the mistake of curiously turning around. The spells came raining down on them, slashing and blasting the snow, causing it to fly in all directions; a sickening yellow one caught Carrow in the chest, sending him flying off the ground; his scream was drowned by shrill bird-like shrieks of the thestrals as they tried to avoid getting hit by the curses. The rest of the carriage's occupants had by now stuck their heads out, looking stunned at the sight of their snow-covered, snarling leader.

There was a booming explosion along with another volley of lights, which had all of them simultaneously casting shield charms; loud cackles erupted from the skies as the black mass broke up to reveal hundreds of hooded assailants on broomsticks heading their way. They were closing in on them, indiscriminately showering spells of different hues in every direction. The spells came down with great ferocity, before colliding with the shields and ricocheting back to their casters. The spells' impact on their shields though had everyone being propelled backwards as well. One particularly sharp and dark curse effectively destroyed Harry's shield charm, throwing him backwards by a few feet.

Furiously, Harry was about to send a few well chosen hexes when a trip jinx had him falling face first back into the snow. He was half-buried inside, unable to see or hear anything; a position he did not prefer being placed in, given the current company. He managed to wrench himself out, only to have someone hold him down, with his face inches away from the snow.

"Don't sssss" hissed a voice holding him down. Harry heard the broomsticks whizzing past them, but no spells were raining down on them anymore.

"Let go" Harry hissed back, digging his wand into Riddle's chest.

Riddle promptly released his hold on Harry, "They weren't coming for us." he announced, getting up "But they were fools, giving away warning signs all too soon." The rest of the Slytherins snickered and chortled in agreement.

The assailants had flown away and disappeared as rapidly as they had come, leaving behind upturned snow and overturned carriages in their wake.

Harry searchingly looked about the ravaged place trying to find Edward, but there was no sign of the wizard; it looked like Edward Lovegood had gotten completely buried deep inside the snow.

"Locomotor Corpus!" shouted Harry, attracting the attention of all the Slytherins. He felt the familiar cold as the spell shot out of his wand. Eight feet away, a mound of snow broke apart making way for a limp body that glided upwards before slowly advancing towards Harry. It was the half-frozen body of Lycus Carrow.

"Casius, check on Carrow." ordered Riddle lazily

A Slytherin with blond hair and chalky skin bent over Carrow's body and inspected him, pointing his wand at his chest and muttering incantations under his breath

"He's alright" he said, looking at Riddle, "Just knocked out."

"Where was Edward?" thought Harry confused. Lovegood was supposed to be buried somewhere in the snow, yet Harry's spell had only uncovered Carrow's body. And where were their attackers heading for? Harry had to mentally slap himself, of course they were heading for Hogsmeade, and it was the most vulnerable place at the moment, brimming with mostly ill-equipped Hogwarts students. Edward Lovegood's earlier words, to some extent made sense right now. Harry looked at the thestrals consideringly; all were tossing snow about with their long tails and trying to lick the blood seeping from their injuries.

….x…x

"Should we head back now, my Lord?" questioned a dark-haired Slytherin, who had joined in helping his blond friend hoist the unconscious Carrow to his feet.

Riddle didn't answer as he was too entertained in watching Hadrian Dumbledore climb on top of a thestral's back and fly away in the direction of Hogsmeade.

"Merlin! Carrow is heavy, heavy as a Troll!" gasped the dark-haired Slytherin.

"And how would you know how much a Troll weights, Felix?" rasped Casius, he was also struggling to keep Carrow on his feet.

"It's a figure of speech you Flobberworm!" responded Felix bitingly, "Can't even figure out-"

"Lestrange, we don't need to be treated to your diatribe of Avery right now." drawled a flaxen-haired Slytherin with light gray eyes.

"Is there a problem?" asked Riddle calmly turning to face the group. His eyes took in the sight of a limp Carrow, being supported by Avery and Lestrange on his either side.

"What are you two doing?" he asked quietly, looking at their faces.

"Well we were just lifting-"began Lestrange

"Yes, I can see that" cut in Riddle sharply, "Might I ask what happened to your wands?"

"I lost my wand." stated Lestrange abruptly, while Avery threw a scandalized look in his direction.

Riddle subjected Casius Avery to the full brunt of his attention "And you Casius, did you forget you had a wand, so soon? Or did you have an ulterior motive for carrying Lycus?"

Avery went red, as most of the Slytherins smirked knowingly but his embarrassment was short-lived as Riddle rounded on the rest of them, "And did none of you think of casting Mobilicorpus; helping out a fellow Slytherin, must I really do everything,? Pity."

The flaxen haired Slytherin discreetly took out his wand and levitated Carrow's body high above his fellow Slytherins.

"Done only after I said it, Abraxas." said Riddle testily, "I wonder how long it will take for others to realize."

"By the time the Ministry aurors arrive, there will only be corpses for them to collect." said a burly Slytherin, giving a nervous laugh.

"Abraxas, does he exaggerate?" questioned Riddle, nonchalantly looking at his immaculate fingertips.

…..x….x

Flying on a thestral's slick back using only it's mane for balance was difficult and exhausting, sending a message via a Patronus to Albus Dumbledore was even more arduous.

Hogsmeade was covered in smoke, screams and scattered people desperately defending themselves against numerous attackers wearing gray robes with a flaming "V" on the back. Most of the little cottages and the various tiny shops were reduced to a burnt black mess on the snowy ground with detached roofs and isolated walls left behind. He was nearing the flying assailants on broomsticks who were maniacally throwing spells down at the crowd.

Harry, who was well hidden after placing the disillusionment charm on him as well as on the thestral, nearly collided with one of them who was holding something that looked suspiciously like a skull with moldy bits stuck to it, and black smoke was coming out of its eye holes. The wizard holding it with his gnarled fingers threw it down forcefully with a boisterous cackle, the smoking skull went plunging down and hit the ground just where a small bunch of witches stood, engulfing them all in darkness. It lasted only for a few seconds before the smoke vanished leaving three still bodies and one standing witch coughing reddish-black blood on the snow.

The wizard laughed in delight, pushing his left hand into a small pouch attached to the broomstick, a Mokeskin Pouch as his elbow managed to disappear right into it, reappearing with a smoking rotten bone, which he threw down at a group of Hogwarts students. The bone broke through the erected shield charms causing them all to scatter, screaming and tripping over each other to avoid the smoke.

Harry was about to blast the wizard off his broom when he stopped, taking time to ponder over the situation. Blasting the wizard would only attract attention, give away his location and make it easy for the wizard's companions to ruthlessly retaliate against him.

"Imperio" said Harry in a low voice, sending the curse soaring towards the laughing wizard. It hit its target, quieting him down instantly; Hary felt a rush of power over the wizard, finding him very easy to control as he posed no problem in the form of resistance. He forced the wizard to fly into the midst of the attackers and pelt them with the smoky skeleton pieces, quite enjoying the sight when he noticed an individual with familiar white hair frantically maneuvering past the dueling wizards and witches, casting shield charms whenever a spell came in his way. Wasn't Edward Lovegood unconscious?

Harry directed the thestral to fly low, before landing on the snow, near a desolate-looking pillar of a destroyed shop. Leaving the thestral there, he started walking towards Lovegood, dodging and throwing hexes on the way, trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible. Edward Lovegood was at least correctly moving away from the bloodshed, Harry tried to speedily catch up to him; he saw him enter a roofless shop a few feet away with a door that had only its lower part left.

"Edward Lovegood?"

Harry took out the disillusionment charm so that Lovegood could see him.

"Dumbledore! What are you doing here, Merlin's Beard!"

"Is it alright for you to be here, Lovegood?" questioned Harry uneasily noticing the beaming bloodshot eyes.

"Yes, why not, this is a safe place to be, where I can-"

"Here? This is a safe place Lovegood?"

"I told you, I'm here to see the Numbwarts"

"It's raining curses out there, wait, who told you err, about the err…?"

Edward Lovegood scratched his head, "Numbwarts? Why does it matter-"

"Lovegood, what do you see out there?"

"Well now it's mostly those Grindelwald's supporters but-"

The man was not sounding right; he didn't seem at all affected by the bloodshed going on outside. "Can you just tell me who told you about the Numbwares….Numbwarts?"

"A few people I met in Hog's head, well I overheard but they told me about the-"

"They told you?" asked Harry, he had a very good reason to doubt Lovegood was under some curse.

"How did you escape? You had passed out, when you fell out of the carriage."

"Did I? It must have been Riddle's presence, not that I have anything against him, you see I have these mini-protectors, but they are a bit afraid of certain things like….. Hinkypunks, butterbeer, the color grey, puzzles, riddles, they let me down when faced with a riddle, Ravenclaw's passwords. But they always come back when they become brave again….they must have woken me up."

"Lovegood, alright I get it." said Harry slowly, wondering if a "Finite" would help get rid of the curse.

"Oh, my, I feel dizzy again" began Lovegood, stumbling on a burnt heap of what looked suspiciously like Chocolate Frog Cards.

"And why is that?" asked Harry moving forward to help Lovegood.

"I feel sleepy actually, not dizzy. Oh another thing they are afraid of, I'm afraid, is dark magic practitioners, deserted me just a few minutes back, so I decided to seek a empty place." yawned Lovegood, his eyes were slowly closing before he fell down unexpectedly, dragging Harry along with him.

"Is this any place to sleep, man?"

"Caberus, see there!" a shrill voice with a slight German accent sounded near the shop, causing him to turn back. He quickly cast the disillusionment charm on both of them and pulled the limp wizard to the corner of the shop. As Harry exited the place, he saw a gray-robed witch pointing at the snow, beside her, a bald wizard stood with an ugly sneer marring his face. Oops! Harry had forgotten about his footprints! Looking down he realized he had just made some more impressions on the snow.

He managed to move out of the way as the witch threw a silver-gray spell in his direction, followed by the wizard's hasty slashing curse, which in Harry's favor went astray.

"Flipendo Duo!" said Harry instantly, aiming at them; crackling blue sparks shot out of his wand, swiftly hitting the bald wizard in the stomach before he had a chance to react.

There was an enraged shriek as the wizard collapsed, "Expulso!"

Harry aimed his wand at the snow, levitating a huge lump of it in the approaching spell's direction, causing them to meet mid-air and then quickly erected a shield charm as the snow exploded, flying everywhere and hiding both of them from the other's view for a few seconds.

The witch vanished the snow out of the way, "Reducto Extimus!" she hissed destroying Harry's shield charm and knocking Harry down with the impact.

There were a number of offensive spells running in his mind, and Harry randomly chose one, "Glacius Tria!" sending the freezing charm her way.

The spell was immediately dodged by the witch, as she hit the ground before the spell could impact. "Confringo!"

Harry dodged, only to have the spell explode halfway behind him, injuring his back; he furiously responded with "Diffindo", and then used an obliteration charm to remove his footprints as he moved away from his spot.

The witch managed to dodge the spell and reacted by casting a volley of offensive spells in every possible direction as well as trying to destroy his disillusionment charm "Reducto! Finite! Finite! Confringo! Artus Execo! Finite! Finite! Finite!"

Well if she was going to be bloodthirsty, so was Harry, he threw a non-verbal, "Sectumsempra" her way, moving his wand to make slashing movements, aiming only to injure her; his first slash managed to shatter her conjured shield, the second slashing motion caught her in the middle. Her shrieks for help probably didn't help his case though, as one of her comrades appeared on the spot in seconds. Harry could only make out deep blue eyes peering out of the dark hood.

"Gloumia, how many?"

"Just one pesky li-" the witch began only to groan in pain.

The cloaked male eyed the area silently; his wand was clutched somewhat tightly, he briskly glanced at the shrieking witch before his eyes switched back to scanning the area calmly. The feeling of something swooping low over him, informed Harry that the male had just cast a non-verbal "Homenum Revelio" and his disillusionment charm was now completely useless, causing him to swiftly respond, "Incendio!"

"Inflamarae!" said the wizard, not batting an eyelid.

His fiery spell was met with a ball of fire, impacting each other mid-way causing the flames to fly back towards their casters. It might have enraged the wizard as his next spell was a vicious one, "Feuria Flagrum!" producing fire in a whip-like state, that looked like an extension of his wand. There was no way Harry was going to try and handle the blazing whip with an offensive spell.

"Protego Maxima! Fianto Duri!" shouted Harry; a bluish-white light glowed brightly from the end of his wand, increasing its size to shield him fully. The whip did not make much impact once it collided with Harry's shield, and the wizard seemed to realize it too.

Muttering something under his breath, which considerable brightened the flaming whip, the wizard struck it down.

The snow beneath them melted as boiling molten lava sprang from the whip spreading forward and making the surrounding area extremely hot. Harry found the snowy ground at his sides which were not covered by the shield melting fast, turning into scalding water and even though his strong shield was in place around him, the way the wizard was relentlessly lashing at it, bothered Harry quite a bit.

Well, he did have an imperiused wizard somewhere, uselessly throwing his dwindling collection of smoky skeleton pieces at people, while Harry here was in trouble.

Harry concentrated on his mind link with the imperiused wizard, and had him quickly responding to his command. The flaming whip struck again, but his shield held strong much to the frustration of blue-eyed wizard; Harry on the other hand was worried about the molten lava that had managed to sweep through the sides, now held back only by his shield, he now had very little space for movement, completely boxed in. Harry soon sighted the imperiused wizard flying on a broomstick, lingering above them, now having a creepy smile on his face, but mercifully not cackling aloud.

It happened within seconds, and all it took was a neat slicing curse thrown from behind. The molten lava, the whip lashing at his shield, all disappeared immediately after the blue-eyed wizard fell, a thin red line on his neck indicating where the curse had hit.

It hadn't gone exactly as planned, Harry had commanded the imperiused wizard to severely hurt his opponent, not sever him. But the fool hadn't known the difference.

"You! You….you wretched mud-" shrieked the wounded witch before coughing blood, reminding Harry of her presence, "You have killed him, Mistress will be furious…will be so vengeful…going to pay the price…soon." The witch uttered a horrible moan, before going still.

Harry looked at the imperiused wizard and raised a single eyebrow, "You hear that? That's what you get for not following orders properly."

The imperiused wizard just continued to smile creepily at Harry.

Author Notes: I know did not answer any question, but I had to do this to get to that.


	10. Chapter 10

Author Notes:Firstly and more importantly, THANK YOU for taking the time from your busy lives to leave me reviews!

Secondly, less importantly then the first, reviews that somehow tell me I have probably confused the lot of you, it makes me confused as well. What is so confusing? If the confusion is about Dumbledore knowing about Harry, then it will be revealed later, like late later. If there is some other type of confusion, tell me what that is! I can't read your minds through the computer screen!

And I unfortunately don't know Legilimency nor possess the skills for it. So tell me, thankyou.

All characters, settings, and everything familiar enough belong to JK Rowling.

Chapter 10

Harry stunned the imperiused wizard; he really couldn't stand anymore of that creepy smile. Approaching his fallen enemy, he examined him, trying not to separate the head from the body. The hood had slipped backwards to reveal a white-haired, blue-eyed wizard who looked like he could have passed for thirty. Well, he would never reach more than that.

He looked around the place; there was no one except him and the lonely shop, with Lovegood hopefully inside it. Harry was far away from the real bloodshed going on.

A sharp pain made itself known as Harry stretched his back, the injury he had got from the witch's "Confringo" had yet to be healed; Harry could feel the blood seeping down his back and the cold wind blow past it. He couldn't exactly heal his injury at the moment, so he simply repaired the torn part of the cloak, and made his shirt tighter to stop the blood flow.

The witch, Gloumia uttered a sudden moan, before lapsing back into silence, her fingers though were still twitching.

"She would just have to wait" thought Harry, if he wasn't getting healed, neither was she.

He could see nothing but heaps of snow in the far off distance, there were no more grey robed ones nearby, and calmness had settled in the place of shrieks and shouts. He was standing in a comparably safe ground at the moment. Harry twirled his wand absent-mindedly, feeling it grow comfortingly cool in his hand. At this rate, He was soon going to be immune to any and all degrees of cold temperatures. And it really had an eye-catching wood, it made for such a handsome wand. Harry snapped out of his musings, there was a battle going on and he couldn't afford to get distracted.

Now he had a decision to make, should he go back to the battlefield or wait it out for Dumbledore and the others to arrive. He had yet to hear from Dumbledore, he didn't know why it was taking so long after all Hogwarts wasn't much far from Hogsmeade.

He went back to the shop, and shot a "Finite Incantatem", finding Lovegood still sleeping near the corner.

"Rennervate" tried Harry, but the wizard continued to sleep.

"I'm not floating you above me, through this mess, Lovegood!" he hissed frustrated.

"Did you stun him yet again, Hadrian? He must have really got on your last nerves to warrant another assault." said an amused voice behind him.

"Dear Tom, what a surprise-"

He was being truthful; Harry was surprised to see the Slytherin. Was he here to collect some battle techniques for his future rebellion?

"How do you manage to appear at the correct time but assume the wrong conclusion every time? Or are you pretending that you don't know what happened to Lovegood. If so, drop the act, you are wasting your time hiding your nature from me. I have been warned beforehand about you, Tom" he taunted, knowing full well Riddle was going to assume Dumbledore had informed Harry about him.

Riddle's face attained a characteristic, familiar rage that his future self would eventually perfect, "You should know something about your _uncle _then, he isn't all that very nice either. Are you going to blindly follow him, just accept whatever he may have said about me and not even try to find the truth?"

"Yes" replied Harry smiling infuriatingly at the Slytherin

He had a feeling Riddle was being particularly interested in him due to his status as Dumbledore's nephew. Well, he had already decided, if he met Voldemort in any timeline in this world, he wasn't going to hide his hatred. Besides being the old man's nephew had its perks, Harry couldn't be expected to like Riddle or fall for his charming mask.

"Why did you come here, enjoy the sight of people dying?" he asked recklessly

"He must really hate me, if he fed you such lies. You are as deluded-"Riddle stopped abruptly as a speeding white light entered the shop, materializing into a smoky form of something that looked like a vulture.

The quasi vulture began to speak in Dumbledore's familiar voice, "Will we survive this, Harry?"

The patronus vanished immediately after.

All the time spent waiting, and that was the response he got.

Harry was surprised at seeing Dumbledore's vulture-like patronus; he had expected it to be a phoenix not a vulture, well he couldn't exactly be sure if it was really a vulture since it had been in a smoky, unclear form, which was another unexpected development. And what did Dumbledore mean asking him whether they would survive? He had just confirmed this world to be a different one but hadn't offered any more information, so how would Harry know its future, it had an entirely different future. The old man was being utterly unhelpful, his message and his absence was grating on Harry's last nerves.

"Well, will we, Harry?" Riddle's sarcasm brought him back from his musings.

"I should like to think so" replied Harry evenly, offering no more.

Riddle studied him for a moment, while Harry tried to figure out what to do.

"You know, I noticed two still bodies outside," began Riddle, tilting his head towards the broken door.

"I am surprised you noticed only two, Riddle." said Harry, thinking about all the dead bodies lying in the snow.

"Well there was the witch, who was moaning, clearly in tremendous pain. I actually felt sorry for her-"

"That's very believable, Riddle." said Harry, looking sideways at Lovegood, he wondered if he could just create a portkey and get the wizard somewhere safe and out of the way.

"Not even giving me a chance, you honestly think I have no feeling-"

Riddle's face was one of sorrow, Harry really didn't know what to make of this world's Voldemort. He looked like a healthy 17 year old, his features untainted, not giving the slightest indication of the waxy features Harry had seen in Dumbledore's memory. Could it be that he had yet to kill or tear a part of his soul? Harry hadn't discussed the issue of Riddle with Dumbledore; he had been too busy learning about the new world and the people living in the current timeline to have another chat with the man. He planned to fix that as soon as possible.

"Alright, you felt sorry for her," said Harry trying to give Riddle a chance, at least he tried to, "Its natural, people tend to do that, they identify with those who are similar to them, gives them a feeling of oneness-"

"She was nothing like me!" snarled the aspiring Dark Lord

"Was?" asked Harry, "Didn't you help her?"

"I did, I put her out of her misery." said Riddle matter-of-factly.

"Oh," blinked Harry, "Well, so why did you come here?"

Riddle twirled his wand elegantly, "I wanted to see what you were planning to do, all alone." he stated simply

"See if I am just like my Uncle? Studying the people who could potentially prove as an obstacle on the road of…..whatever ambition you have?" asked Harry grinning.

Riddle scowled

…x…x

They were outside the shop now; Harry had found it very easy to make an illegal portkey, but then was at a loss of where to send Lovegood. Harry didn't know any familiar places in this world. He couldn't send him to Hogwarts with the anti-apparition wards, he had even tried calling out for Kreacher to Riddle's amusement, but the thrice-accursed house-elf failed to appear as usual. He had in the end settled for a disillusionment charm as well as erecting some protective barriers, leaving Lovegood all alone in the shop. Riddle watched the proceedings without offering any sort of help, except making disparaging comments on Lovegood's sanity.

Standing outside, Harry looked at the beheaded witch in dismay; Riddle had apparently had his fun with the stunned wizard as well.

"Did you have to kill him too?" asked Harry pointing at the beheaded wizard.

Riddle looked at him with an expression of genuine confusion, "I thought he was already dead." he said with an air of innocence.

Harry checked the dead bodies, it seemed this world's Riddle was fascinated with decapitating people, the sadistic snake.

Riddle was bent on his knees, examining the body of the white-haired wizard like Harry had done, just not with the same carefulness and regard. He got up, holding the detached head, unmindful of the blood dripping on his robes, "Do you know who he is?"

"Does it matter?" asked Harry grimacing at the bloody sight, "Put his head down, Tom"

"Riddle moved the head in such a way that it was now facing him with its dead eyes, "Do you know what kind of enemy you have made, Harry, by killing him?"

"Why? Are you going to perform necromancy and create a vengeful zombie out of this one?" asked Harry looking down at the red-tinged snow. He couldn't stand anymore of the bloody head, especially when it was held so melodramatically by Riddle, it reminded Harry too much of Dudley's Zombie Ssmash video game. He might just burst out laughing, which would be a completely inappropriate reaction considering the factors in hand.

Are you going to tell me, Riddle?" asked Harry trying not to look too interested.

"He didn't try to tell you when he pleaded for his life? It could have served as a deterrent." said Riddle smiling. He and the bodiless head made for quite a sight.

"I guess he didn't get a chance."

"You actually killed him without hearing him out first, Dumbledore? Not above such brutality are you?" Riddle sounded surprised

Harry looked at the hypocrite with a displeased expression.

"You going to spit it out or should I walk?"

"Impatient, so impatient, he was the brother of...Guess?"

Harry blamed the expectant look that had formed on his face for the "Guess".

"Let's not discuss this right now, people are dying out there-"Harry stopped mid-sentence. What was he supposed to do, aid the people, the students who might have all already died? He was at the outskirts of Hogsmeade; he didn't exactly know the present situation of the battle that was more like a massacre. He didn't even know if anyone was still fighting.

But Harry was going to help out …...…somehow

"You're not going to go back now, are you?"

"I am, you can join me if you like, but I understand if you rather prefer juggling their heads." said Harry gesturing towards the three beheaded bodies, before walking away back in the direction of Hogsmeade.

"You don't honestly think you can restart what's finished, do you?"

What? Was the battle over already, well of course he had spent and wasted time with Riddle, not to forget the duels fought with the dead witch and wizard and…..the bald wizard called Caberus who Harry had completely forgotten about!

Harry spun around, eyes scanning the area for the bald-head. Predictably he could find him nowhere; he might have already gone to inform his superiors about Harry.

"I've to go now." he thought aloud

"The lone lion to the recue" Riddle's voice rang out from behind him, followed by low laughter.

"Have fun with the heads, Tommy boy."

….x…..

"I don't understand why you choose to aimlessly follow me around." goaded Harry as they trudged through the snow; there was not a single living soul in sight.

"I am not aimlessly following you around; I have a duty, "smirked Tom Riddle, "As Head Boy to ensure the safety of Hogwarts students to the best of my abilities."

"If you had ever used a cent per cent of those abilities you have to give selfless protection to anyone, I will eat my hat" grumbled Harry, skipping a severed limb half-buried in the snow.

"You're not wearing one" Riddle pointed out

"I don't need one, see, I know I'm right"

...

"So...you saw the battle get over?" asked Harry casually

"No, I assumed it got over when there were no more opposing forces left, I think some got taken hostage, or maybe they all got killed, I didn't pay much attention."

Harry couldn't be sure if Riddle was lying or being truthful, he just had to take his every word with a grain of salt.

They soon saw a group of grey-robed wizards making a bonfire out of something, cackling merrily and moving somewhat unsteadily on their feet.

"They must have taken some serious injuries, their legs are askew." noted Riddle

"Or they could just be severely drunk on Firewhiskey." said Harry sighing, "I could do with some Firewhiskey right now."

"Firewhiskey, is that the only drink everyone can think of?" scorned Riddle

"Well there is Ogden's Beer, fairly new in the markets, have you tried that?"

Riddle didn't reply, for once remaining silent.

Harry had been in this new world for only a few days and he had already been introduced to all the coming-of-age drinks available in the shops. Enid had got him to drink a new variety, "Martha's Malted Mead of 1940s" which had tasted acrid and smelt of burnt orange peels, Harry had refused to drink anymore. Enid had then adviced him to try it after a few more decades, as the beverage was just 4 years old, so the taste had yet to settle.

"Have you ever had Firewhiskey?"

"Certainly" came the prompt reply

"Well how was it?" asked Harry curiously

It was interesting to try and find out information about Tom Riddle that few if any knew about.

"Horrible, vile and disgusting. Shall we?"

Harry was right, about the inebriated part, together they managed to stun all five of the grey-robed wizards with ease. Harry put off the bonfire, which was giving off the smell of burnt flesh, making it quite clear what the wizards had used in the place of wood.

"Who are these people?" muttered Harry disgusted

"You continue to surprise me Dumbledore, everyone knows who these wizards are, they are allies of Grindelwald, and once we hand them in, it will be confirmed that they belong to that group who call themselves the "Wviking Witches-"

"I know about them-" interrupted Harry

"Then why didn't you recognise them, their symbol is not exactly a secret." Riddle pointed at the "V" on the backs of the gray robes worn by the wizards.

Dumbledore had told him about the witches, so far Harry had been thinking it was a group consisting of batty-looking hags just like the ones he had met in Knockturn Alley, he hadn't thought it would be a big organization.

"We should take them back to Hogwarts" announced Riddle

"A proper advice for once, there is no one else left in this place, they must have gone back to...wherever they came from."

"Impressively put" came the sarcastic reply

"Thanks, I am just going to go back for Lovegood..."

...x...x

Hogwarts looked dreary, its atmosphere was somber and woeful, the Black Lake lay still, there were no more ripple effects in its waters that gave any sign of the Giant Squid living in it and the Grounds were empty and chilly. As they entered the Entrance Hall, the first one to notice them was Professor Merrythought, standing near the double doors of the Great Hall.

"Hadrian, thank Merl-Tom! What were you two thinking!"

"Professor-" both Harry and Riddle began to speak at the same time, but were swiftly interrupted by Professor Slughorn, coming down the marble staircases at the side of the Hall, "Merlin's Beard! Galatea, didn't I tell you those two were more than a match for those-"

"I don't recall you saying anything of that sort, Horace." cut in Professor Merrythought looking disapprovingly at Slughorn.

"Perhaps you don't remember, dear- and what is that? Are those-"

"Yes, Professor, we managed to stun some of Grindelwald's allies" replied Riddle smoothly

"And behead a few" thought Harry darkly

"Salazar be blessed! They will prove quite useful."

"Indeed, Horace will you look into it, then? Take some assistance if you need, I do believe Herbert and Silvanus are still awake. Tom-"

"There you are, Mister Riddle and... Hadrian! Oh dear!-"

Well, Harry hadn't expected any of the Professors to be asleep. Though there had been but a few Hogwarts students who had gone for Hogsmeade, the news of the deaths would be devastating, and the owls with parent's concerns would start pouring in the next day, if it hadn't already started coming. Professor Kettleburn and Professor Herbert Beery approached their little group, both looking alert if a little bleary-eyed.

"Not now Silvanus, the boys must be healed of their injuries, Oh my! Is that Mister Lovegood-" said Professor Merrythought, her eyes widening at Lovegood's floating body that had just entered the Entrance Hall. Lovegood had been suspiciously floating a good few distance away from Riddle. Harry blamed Riddle for it.

"No need to worry, he is alive, Professor Merrythought" informed Riddle looking all responsible, "He has just been stunned."

"Oh- thank goodness" said Professor Kettleburn before stopping, realizing how his words could be taken in the wrong context.

"Is there something important to be said?" interrupted Harry sensing tension in the air, "And where is Professor Dumbledore?"

"Hadrian, first let Healer Lancelot check you-" Professor Merrythought tried to say in a calm voice

"I feel fine, I should like to know what has happened to my uncle." demanded Harry stubbornly

"You have just battled Grindelwald's forces, I don't think it is possible that you got away unscathed, dear child." said Silvanus Kettleburn looking sorrowfully at Harry.

"He didn't" supplied Riddle, thoroughly annoying Harry.

"I should really like to know now." stated Harry with determined eyes

"Mister Riddle I insist-" Galatea Merrythought turned to Riddle, "You are injured, get yourself to the Hospital Wing, Horace are you just going to stand there, he is bleeding!"

"Of course, Tom, no excuses-"

"Certainly not Professor, though there is no need to accompany me, I'll find my way into the Hospital Wing"

They watched the Head Boy leave for the Hospital Wing."

"I think you had better see that he gets there Horace, he could get ambushed by the numerous students waiting for some news, and-"

You are right, Herbert, I don't think any of the Gryffindors have fallen asleep, come to think of it, I don't think any of the Houses have-I better make sure he manages to reach the Hospital Wing."

"What happened? I sent a patronus to my...uncle, telling him about the Hogsmeade attack, why didn't anyone come to rescue them?" asked Harry after Slughorn had left.

"I saw your patonus, a corporal-" began Professor Kettleburn but immediately fell silent looking at Professor Merrythought.

"Is someone going to tell me?" asked Harry exasperated

"I think the Headmaster can explain to you more clearly, I don't know half the facts myself." replied Professor Merrythought in a tired voice.

...x...

The Headmaster looked even more older and graver then usual.

"You should sit down." he said, indicating to a cozy-looking armchair, which Harry hadn't seen before in the Head's office.

Harry sat down without protest, the faster they got to the matter, the better.

"There were twin attacks lead by Grindelwald's allies, the Wviking Witches, you must have heard of them Hadrian?"

"Yes" answered Harry shortly

"They attacked in Hogsmeade and in Diagon Alley, two important wizarding places, and the Ministry could only respond to the calls of one.

"Diagon Alley" said Harry sounding indifferent

"Indeed, well soon enough he...himself arrived and Albus, Albus would have come if it weren't for Grindelwald..."

So, their legendary duel began a year early in this world, how splendid and he had missed it.

"You were all there?" asked Harry

Armando Dippet looked startled, "We, no we weren't there, we were strengthening Hogwarts defenses-" he confirmed tentatively, "But that's not the matter here-"

"They both got injured?" guessed Harry, he had only heard about the duel, but the actual details were unknown to him, "Right, so he got defeated."

"Something none of us could have imagined, he was always so powerful, it even looked like he might over-power...oh well"

Do you think he is going to be prisoned in Nurmengard?" asked Harry

"We don't really know." replied Headmaster Dippet

"Your taking this in all too easily-" observed Galatea Merrythought thoughtfully

"Trust me, Professor, I am used to it." said Harry vaguely. Was he supposed to celebrate Dumbledore's victory, maybe it was a big deal for these people, but Harry had seen his own share of such moments and he already knew about it, he was in no mood to fake any emotion right now. All he had wanted was an explanation for why Dumbledore hadn't sent help and he had got it, the old man must be currently recuperating in the Hospital Wing...or St Mungos. All he wanted to do now was get his back healed and fall asleep on a nice soft bed. As an afterthought he turned back, noticing the bewildered looks of all the elders.

"And about the Wviking Witches, what is the Ministry going to do about them, Headmaster?"

, "Its hard to say" answered Dippet, "Even with some inside information, its difficult to guess. The one thing that has worked for this covey is their unpredictability. So even with those stunned wizards you and Mister Riddle brought, its not going to be easy for the Ministry."

"They should be less of a burden though, right? With Grindelwald defeated-"

The Headmaster looked grief-stricken at his words, "Dear boy! What are you saying?"

Harry was confused, "What did I say wrong?" He noticed all the Professors having sorrowful expressions on their faces.

Dippet's old fingers trembled as he said, "It wasn't Grindelwald who was defeated, child, it was Albus!"

At that point, Galatea Merrythought and Herbert Beery broke into tears.


End file.
